


Snow White and the Serpent

by LaBelleAuteure



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Possessive Behavior, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-03
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-03-26 06:04:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 26,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13851633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaBelleAuteure/pseuds/LaBelleAuteure
Summary: "You're mine. My Snow White."When Jughead's cousin Emma moves in with him, it doesn't take long before she catches the eye of a certain angry Serpent.





	1. New Beginnings

She won’t miss this house, she realizes as she gazes one last time at the place that she once called home. The memory of what it used to be, maybe. But certainly not the last few months that she spent there.  
With a grim smile, she raises the strap of her bag higher up on her shoulder before opening the passenger door to her friend Ophelia’s car. She throws the last of her luggage on the back seat, grinning at O’s choice of music. Somehow, the small blonde girl who everyone thinks is adorable has developed a passion for 50 Cent’s old singles, which is probably why the speakers of her yellow Beatle are currently blasting Ayo Technology. Emma has to admit that it’s pretty catchy and that somewhere along the way she has learnt the lyrics by heart.  
« Ready? » her driver asks.  
She pictures the smiling face of her cousin, all the fun they used to have when she’d visit in the summers. Then she thinks about her mother, the screams, the insults. Mike, standing behind her, frowning as if she’d hurt him deeply. As if she was the one who lied. She still cannot believe that the woman who has raised her, who was supposed to love her no matter what, hadn’t believed her when she had told her about the way her new boyfriend was acting. It used to be glances, or brushing against her on purpose as they were doing the dishes, odd things that would make her skin crawl. She had tried to convince herself that it was all in her head. But then, as she’d been looking for a memory card in the office that had become his, she’d seen it. He’d left his computer open after leaving in a hurry. And there it was. A video of her changing in her bedroom, the shaky footage probably taken with a cellphone camera. He’d spied on her when she thought she was alone, opening her door just enough to be able to capture these images.  
Terrified and disgusted, she’d quickly deleted it. She was so sure that her word would be enough to convince her mom that the thought of keeping evidence hadn’t once crossed her mind. She wanted him gone and, now that he had done something so awful, there was no way that she would stay with this pervert any longer. She’d kick him out and it would once again be just the two of them. And yet, that’s not what happened. After telling her that she always ruined everything, Claire had waited until Mike was home before confronting her again, this time with him at her side. He hadn’t even tried to deny it. He’d just said that she shouldn’t have left the door unlocked, as if it had been an accident.  
When Emma had finally understood that there would be no consequences to his actions, she had called her cousin. She talked to him quite often since FP had been arrested, making sure he was good. She’d even visited him once to cheer him up. They had spent the weekend watching bad movies and eating burgers at Pop’s before she had to head home again. She’d been comforted by the knowledge that he wasn’t alone. Archie, whom she had met several times before, had promised her that he would keep an eye on him. And his stunning girlfriend Betty certainly wouldn’t let him starve. She absolutely adored the bubbly journalist when she met her. They’d been texting each other almost every week since.  
The second Jughead had heard of what happened, he’d told her to come live with him. She isn’t proud to admit that she bursted into tears, so relieved to know that she could count on someone. Which was why, as she’s preparing to leave everything that she had ever known behind, she’s never been so confident in her choices.  
« Ready », she answers.

 

The sun is just starting to rise when she arrives in Riverdale. She grins, deciding to take it as a sign of good luck. The bus stop is empty, which isn’t surprising considering that this is such a small town. She’s actually the last one here except for a middle-aged man who quickly rushes towards his car. The dozen of other passengers all got out in Greendale. She’s about to call Jug to make sure that he hasn’t forgotten about her when she sees an familiar pick-up truck roll into the parking lot. It stops a few feet in front of her, her cousin getting out with a wide smile that she knows isn’t his usual expression. The broody teenager always get excited when she is around.  
« Wow, Juggie, you look good! », she exclaims.  
He’s wearing a leather jacket, which would have probably looked odd on him a few weeks ago but just makes sense now. She’s heard all about his last few run-ins with the Serpents. He hasn’t joined them yet but she knows him well enough to guess that it’s going to happen soon. It should probably bother her that her family’s involved with a dangerous gang but she can’t seem to find it in her to care. She grew up spending all of July and August with the Jones. She’s seen the sincere camaraderie between her uncle and other members. In a way, she’s almost glad to know that other people will have Jughead’s back.  
Hey, Ems. Hope the ride wasn’t too long », he smiles before hugging her.  
She wraps her arms around his neck, holding on tight. She truly missed him. In a way, she always felt closer to him, Jellybean and their dad than her own mother. She couldn’t really say the same about their mom, who had always been quite a cold woman. She tried her best, but she almost couldn’t pretend with her own children, so it just never really clicked between them. Finally, after a few more seconds, she feels her cousin getting uncomfortable. Affection hasn’t ever been his forte. Taking pity on him, she releases him.  
« It was fine. I’m just so happy to be home! »  
She doesn’t miss the way his face lights up more at the mention of home. No matter how much support his friends have probably offered him, nothing can replace family. In a way, she hopes that this move will be just as beneficial to him as it will be to her.  
He takes her gym back and suitcase and throws them in the trunk before guiding her towards the front seat. Like a gentleman, he opens the door for her, laughing softly as she struggles to get in.  
As he starts to drive, she studies his profile. He looks more and more like an adult and less like a teenager each day. It’s like his dad’s departure has changed him, force him to grow up faster. But even when they were little, he’d always been mature. He was the one who took the serious decisions, the one who kept them from doing dangerous things. Emma used the be quite the little hellhound, running everywhere, bruises all over her legs. She could never keep tights for more than an day because she always ended up falling and ruining them.  
The town looks beautiful when most of its residents are still asleep. Where she used to live, she’d sometimes wake up before sunrise just to walk around and enjoy the silence. It felt like the buildings were there just for her. She probably won’t be able to do the same in the Southside since the people who live there aren’t known for being very welcoming. Once, when she was seven, FP beat a man to a bloody-pulp because he flashed her on the street. And this was just one of many incidents.  
As they leave the Northside, the roads become more bumpy. The houses are smaller, and most people don’t seem to own a lawnmower. The trailer park is smack dab in the middle of it all, a few blocks after the high school. She’ll start there on Monday, which is less than 48 hours away. The thought terrifies her, but at least she knows that she’ll have Jughead to guide her around. Hopefully she won’t attract too much attention to herself.  
Her cousin parks the truck right besides what is probably is motorcycle, barely hidden under a blue piece of tarp. She can’t wait to ride with him, just like she used to with her Uncle. She’s always loved the speed and the feeling of the wind on her face.  
The trailer looks in pretty bad shape. Still, Emma kind of feels like she’s in a five stars hotel. This feels like home, like a place where she can be happy and safe. And it’s not like she came from a mansion herself. She’s used to this type of life. She doesn’t have enough fingers to count the amount of time that the electricity was cut off because her mom didn’t have money to pay the bills.  
She gets out, quickly reaching the back of the vehicle to help Jug with her stuff. He snorts as she tries to take her suitcase and bag at once, reaching for the heavier of the two. Together they ascend the stairs. He unlocks the door and motions for her to get inside first, which she does after thanking him.  
« I’ve been sleeping in the main bedroom since Dad was arrested, so you can take mine. If you need anything to make it more homey, we could… shop for that, I guess. »  
The expression on his face as her considers shopping with her is absolutely hilarious. She can just picture him, hands in his pocket, trying to help her decide which comforter would look best. Obviously, since he was already generous enough to invite her to stay with him, she won’t make him suffer through such an activity. Besides, it’s not like she has a ton of money to spend on redecorating her space. The dark blue checkered quilt will have to do.  
« Don’t worry, everything’s perfect. Do you think I could take a shower, though? The guy besides me on the bus had way too much aftershave on and I feel like the scent is still on my clothes. »  
« Of course! You don’t have to ask, Ems. It’s your home too now, okay? Besides you stink », he adds, laughing.  
« Heeeey! You’re mean ».  
She punches him playfully in the shoulder before reaching towards her things in search of her shampoo, shower gel and a change of clothes. Jug tells her that he’s going back to sleep for a little while, so she makes sure not to make too much noise as she tip-toes towards the small bathroom.  
She has been her enough times to know how to operate the shower. If you want your water to be at the very least lukewarm, you have to turn the knob all the way to the right twice before pushing it completely to the left. It’s still pretty cold, but maybe that will motivate her to hurry up. She has a bad habit of getting lost in her thoughts while cleaning herself up and being late because of it.  
She finally gets out, now smelling of mangoes. She puts on a pair of pale blue jeans and a black sweater that falls off her shoulder slightly. Since she doesn’t have any talent when it comes to styling her hair, she decides to leave it as is, not even trying to use a blow drier since Jug is currently trying to sleep. This means that it will get all wavy, which she doesn’t particularly mind. However, since her face still betrays her tiredness, she does her usual makeup look which consists of brows, mascara and sometimes a little powder.  
It’s now seven thirty, and since she isn’t dumb enough to go explore the town all by herself, she decides to open up her laptop and catch up on some things. On Instagram, she sees that Ophelia has posted a picture of the two of them followed by a long description of how much she is going to miss her. She remembers exactly when this photo was taken. They had all gone to a local band’s concert before hitting the town with a few other friends. They were doing silly faces at the camera, holding each other’s arms, both wearing band tees. She hadn’t exactly been popular at her old school. Most people think she’s a bit stuck-up since she gets good grades and isn’t known for going out. Hell, she’s never even had a boyfriend or at the very least kissed a guy. It’s not that she isn’t sexually attracted to people. She is. But she’s never really felt that way with the guys at school. They were nice and some of there were pretty attractive. Yet there was something missing. It used to complex her, but now she has to admit that she doesn’t really care. Seeing her friends cry because of broken hearts, hearing stories of guys talking about their sexual conquests in the locker room… it just doesn’t sound very appealing.  
She briefly wonders if things will be different here. Maybe she’ll meet some Tom Hardy lookalike and ride happily ever after into the sunset. But from what Jughead has told her about Southside High and its students, romance probably isn’t on the table.  
« I’ll miss you too, O’! Thanks for being such a good friend Xx », she writes back before responding to the few comments her peers left on the post. She continues to scroll down social media until she hears her cousin getting up. It’s now nine o’clock and she’s really hungry.  
« Hey, do you want me to make us something to eat? », she asks Jug as he finally gets out of his bedroom.  
It’s always odd for her to see him without his beanie. He literally never takes it off except to sleep and shower. She doesn’t even remember him before he had it. He rubs his eyes before nodding.  
« That would be great, Ems, thanks! Although there aren’t too many options. We’ve only got a bit of bread left and the fridge is almost empty. »  
She isn’t exactly surprised by that piece of information. Getting up, she looks inside the refrigerator. It’s got some milk, some kind of Chinese take-out and a box of egg. Evidently, it’s not a wonderful selection. But she was already planning on making scrambled eggs so it’s not such a step-back. Getting out all that she needs, she turns back towards her new roommate.  
« Maybe we could go get some groceries this weekend? I’m not saying that I’m gonna cook all the time but we could at least get enough to make pasta, sandwiches and stuff like that. »  
« That’s a pretty good idea. We could go after lunch today. I’ve got a few errands to run this morning and then we could pick-up something to eat at the pizza place around the corner. In the afternoon I’ll be free to go with you. »  
« Great! »

It’s almost noon. Jug and her just got back from Archie’s place, where he had things to pick up. She used to like the red-head, but she has to admit that she isn’t a fan of the way he just spoke to her cousin. They were discussing Jug’s first week at Southside High when Arch started to bash the Serpents. She’d seen the way the dark-haired boy’s fists had clenched as his friend went on and on about how bad and dangerous they were. She’d met a few members in previous visits and she knew they hadn’t been all bad. So after a few minutes of this, she hadn’t been able to hold back.  
« I’m sorry, are you the poster boy for morality, Archie? Cause if I remember correctly you had an affair with a psycho music teacher all summer and hid relevant information in a murder investigation for a long time. »  
He’d looked at her, completely baffled. Emma knows that she’s known as a sweet girl, the kind of person who wouldn’t hurt a fly. She usually has a smile for everyone and apologizes for everything and anything. But here’s the thing. When it comes to the people she loves, she can get crazy protective. Which is the only reason she dared to speak up thoughts she would’ve otherwise kept for herself. Obviously, their meeting had ended up pretty quickly after this. She thought Jughead would be mad at her for talking this way to his best friend but, instead, he’d kissed her quickly on the top of the head before telling her that he was glad that she was moving in with him.  
Now they’re back in the Southside, still riding on Jug’s motorcycle. There’s a lot more people on the streets. She notices that a lot of them are wearing leather and briefly wonders if she should add a bit more of it in her wardrobe if she wants to fit in. Her fashion deliberations are however cut off when her driver stops on the side of the street, close to the sidewalk.  
« I have to talk to someone at the Whyte Wyrm and I’m not sure it’s a good idea for you to meet these people yet. How about you go and get us a pizza while I do this? »  
She turns to look at the place he is pointing at, a small building which has probably seen better days. It’s just a few meters away, which is probably why he isn’t too worried about leaving her alone. She knows all about the place where he himself is heading, even if she has never stepped foot inside the biker’s bar. FP used to go there all the time and she remembers hearing him fighting with his wife about it a few months before she left with Jellybean. She’s not exactly scared at the idea of meeting the Serpents, since she knows they’ll probably be pretty welcoming considering she is their leader’s niece. Yet she decides to go along with Jughead’s plan. She doesn’t want to cause any other trouble for him after what she did at Archie’s place.  
« Sure, no problem. What do you want on your pizza? »  
« Anything but pineapples. Go crazy. », he jokes before helping her get down.  
On that note, she heads towards the pizzeria, turning once to look at him speeding off towards the Wyrm. A few people stare at her as she walks, probably wondering who she is. Thankfully, no one stops her.  
« You know what? Fuck you, Fangs! », she hears as she reaches her destination.  
Curious, she turns around. Not too far on the sidewalk, a few teenagers all wearing leather jackets are talking in a circle. The tallest one, whose back is facing her, pushes another guy before heading her way.  
She knows that he hasn’t seen her yet and, considering the anger painted on his face, she should probably hurry up and get inside. Yet, it’s like she’s frozen. She doesn’t hear anything except for the beat of her own heart, which drums abnormally fast in her chest. She feels hot, too hot, but her body is shivering. Somehow, this feels like an important moment. Like her existence is about to change.  
He’s the most stunning man she has ever seen. She says man because there’s nothing boyish about him. He’s tall, so tall that she already has to crane her neck to see him properly. Some of his jet black hair falls lazily on his forehead. His skin is pale. His nose perfect, like a statue. But it’s his mouth which does the trick. Red lips, full, almost too full for the face they’re on and yet it works so wonderfully. And then, finally, his eyes that are so dark and full of rage…until they meet hers. And as they do, something snaps into place.


	2. Primal

Sweet Pea’s angry. Which isn’t exactly surprising since this seems to be his natural state. He remembers, when he was 6 and a school psychologist told him that he probably suffered from anger issues. There had been meetings with his parents who couldn’t care less. Special lessons with a lady who gave up on him on the third day, after he threw a chair at her face. Even therapy for a while. But it never changed. As soon as something bothers him in the slightest, it’s like he completely blacks out. His body shakes, and there’s this dark energy inside of him that he has to admits terrifies him sometimes.   
Everyone always knew that he would end up like this. A part of the Southside Serpents or any other gang for that matter. Someone like him doesn’t join the chess club, or participate in team sports, or anything else that requires a certain level of control. And it’s not like he really tried to prove them wrong. He’d always watched wistfully the way the Serpents seem to have each other’s back. They’re like a family, something that he has never known. His dad cheated on his mom when he was eight and left them to move to Greendale. A few months later, he was arrested and, to Sweet’s knowledge, is still in jail. His mom isn’t any better. She never wanted any children and made sure to remind him of that fact every day of his life until he turned fifteen and she fled into the night without even saying goodbye. Thankfully for him, the father of his childhood best friend Fangs took him in.   
Now, Sweet Pea lives in a trailer with Fangs. He still goes to Southside High because he promised M. Fogarty that he’d get his diploma. Besides, he knows that it would be pretty dumb on his part to not finish high school. He doesn’t exactly study a lot and he knows that his teachers hate him but he still somehow manages to get good enough grades to pass each year, to everybody’s surprise.   
School is always pretty much the same thing. Except now, the son of their leader, Jughead Jones, is with them. In the beginning he hated the kid but he seems to slowly accept the idea that he’ll probably end up as a Serpent, maybe even as their leader. Besides, he’s a pretty smart guy so it could be worse.  
Right now, as they do pretty much every weekend, the younger members of the gang are hanging out in Southside. It’s one of his favourite moment of the week, even though it usually ends up with him storming out in anger because someone said something that pissed him off. Like today. Fangs has been joking about how he woke up screaming a few nights ago. Obviously, he knows that his roommate is doing it in good fun. But still, he knows that if he doesn’t leave soon he’s going to break his nose. Especially since the rest of them are laughing like idiots. It was a really fucking scary nightmare, with clowns and other shit that he hates.   
« Shut the fuck up, asshole. »  
He’s shaking. He knows that it’s gonna end badly. His breathing is getting heavier by the second and his fists are itching, as if they’d like nothing more than to rearrange his friend’s face. He sees the look that passes over Toni’s face. She can see where this is going and she probably doesn’t feel like escorting one of their member to the hospital. Which is the reason why she tries to calm the game.  
« Hey, we all have nightmares sometimes. Anyway, I happen to know that you’re terrified of spiders, Fogarty. »  
« Yeah, well at least I don’t scream like he did. »  
And that’s it. He’s a goner. The corner of his vision have become red. Blood is rushing to his ears. He honestly doesn’t want to beat anybody up today but if he doesn’t leave right at this second, it’s exactly what is going to happen.   
« You know what? Fuck you, Fangs! », he growls out before leaving.  
He’s well aware that his friend will feel bad once he realizes that he went too far. When he gets home later, he’ll probably be waiting for him with a cold beer and an apology. But for now he just needs to walk it off a bit. Hopefully, he’ll find a Ghoulie to use as a punching bag. These idiots are always ready to fight and since there is little to no loyalty in this gang, he knows that there probably won’t be any sort of retaliation.   
As he’s quickly heading towards the end of the street, he feels eyes on him. He’s used to being watched by the Southside residents. Or by anyone, really. After all, he’s a really massive guy and he knows he has murder on his face when he’s mad. But somehow, this feels different. And as he raises he gaze, he understands why.  
Sweet Pea’s not a virgin. He’s well aware of his looks and hasn’t been afraid to use them in the past. With his motorcycle, leather jacket and the tattoo on his neck, he gives off a bad boy vibe that girls seem to dig. It’s not like he sleeps with a different person every night, but still. He’s lived and he’s not exactly shy about his sexuality. Yet he’s never, ever felt this way about anyone.  
It feels like someone punched him in the throat. He can’t breathe, he can’t move, he just can’t process the vision standing in front of him. God knows he probably looks like a complete idiot right now but he’s unable to find it in himself to care.  
She’s the most gorgeous girl he’s ever seen. Legs that he can already picture wrapped around his waist and perfect curves he just wants to explore with his hands and mouth. She has brown, wavy hair that looks soft even from afar. Her skin his white, her lips luscious and red. She’s a vision. Some kind of primal energy flows through him at the mere thought of touching her, of making her feel good. She looks like the kind of girl who mewls and scratches and yet she still oddly reminds him of a fairytale princess.The sexy, rated R version. My Snow White. He doesn’t even question the possessive thought that travels through his head. Somehow, nothing has ever felt this right.  
He doesn’t remember stepping in front of her, but suddenly he finds himself a mere inches away. She smells like tropical fruits and he’s sure that she tastes even sweeter. Does she even realize how tempting she is? Everything in her is made to lure men in, to corrupt them. To him, she’s the sins he can’t wait to commit. Already he’s certain that he won’t be able to resist the urge to taste her skin. To mark her neck and the shoulder that isn’t hidden by her black sweater.   
As if she’s able to hear what he’s thinking about, she gasps before licking her lips. Her breath seems heavier, just like his. He pictures himself grabbing her hips and pushing her against the wall to steal her air with his own lips.   
« Wow, you smell super good », she whispers.   
Immediately, as if she didn’t mean to say it out loud, her hands come up to cover her mouth. Her cheeks turn red and he finds himself wondering if the blush extends to her cleavage. He grins widely, thinking about how she’s probably the sweetest thing he’s ever seen. Hot as sin, but still adorable. He doesn’t know if his heart is gonna be able to take it.   
« Shit, I didn’t mean to say that! »  
He can’t help but laugh loudly, something he doesn’t do often. He feels on top of the world. This angel is affected by him. Better yet, she likes how he smells. It’s probably fucked up that his chest puffs out in pride at the thought. It’s like some deep, caveman instinct has resurfaced. Good. She should like his scent because they’re gonna spend a lot of time together now.   
He notices that his friends have suddenly fallen silent. Casting them a brief glance over his shoulder, he finds them staring at him, mouths agape. He usually hates strangers, or anyone that isn’t part of his gang for that matter, so it isn’t exactly surprising that they all look like they’ve seen a ghost. In this peculiar case, he just can’t find it in himself to care about her background. She could be queen of the Northside and he’d still want her just as bad.  
If it’s any consolation, I think you smell delicious. I’m Sweet Pea, by the way. What’s your name, Angel? »  
She cocks her head to the side, an amused smile on her face. Shit, she’s so perfect it hurts. He just wants to hide her away so no one can ever take her from him.  
« Sweet Pea? I like it. Where does it come from? I’m Emma, nice to meet you. »  
This time it’s his turn to blush. He doesn’t really want her to know about his bad side and he’s aware that the story isn’t gonna make him look very appealing. But so what? He kind of wants to see how she’ll react. Like a test. Can she handle all of him? Will it actually stop him if she gets scared? Somehow he already feels too far gone.   
« When I was seven I beat up a guy so bad that he had to be hospitalized for three days. People started talking about how terrifying I was and to make fun of me my friends suggested that I should get a non-threatening name. They started calling me Sweet Pea and I guess it kind of stuck. »  
She laughs.   
« Well I’m sorry to say that I don’t think it helps much with the threatening factor. You’re a giant so most people probably won’t stay long enough to hear your name. »  
He loves the fact that she can already joke with him. Usually, the comment about his height would probably annoy him a bit. But with her, he just finds it endearing. She isn’t exactly small, maybe around five foot six. But in front of him, she does look incredibly tiny. He kind of digs it, to be honest.   
He’s about to answer her when he sees that she’s looking at his tattoo with wonder in her eyes. Biting her lip, she slowly reaches for his neck, her fingers almost grazing the snake before she stops herself and links her hands together bashfully.   
« Are you a Serpent? »  
His heart drops to his stomach. Shit. If she already knows about his gang, she probably also knows all about their awful reputation. She’ll never want anything to do with him. But it’s not like he can really lie to her. His jacket literally says so, which means that as soon as he turns back, whether he lies or not, there will be no way to hide it.   
« Yeah… I am. »  
He almost falls on his ass as she answers him with a friendly smile, almost as if she’s happy to hear that.   
« Do you go to Southside High? »  
He can’t believe that she’s actually still there, talking to him as if she couldn’t care less about the fact that he’s in a dangerous biker gang. But he isn’t about to question her decisions. It’s the best day of his life, he decides. Maybe he should buy a lottery ticket on the way home. Then he’d have the means to cover her body in expensive champaign and lick it all off.  
« Yeah, I do. Do you? I’ve never seen you around before. »  
A nervous look passes on her face before she nods.  
« I just moved here, I’ll be starting school there on Monday. »  
Yep. Definitely the best day of his life. He almost can’t stop himself form throwing his fist in the air and whooping. He’s about to suggest being her tour guide when he hears the familiar rumble of a motorcycle stopping right besides them. Emma turns around, grinning sheepishly at the driver. How the fuck does she know Jughead Jones?  
« Hi Juggie, I’m so sorry, I didn’t see the time. Let me just go inside and get us something real quick. »  
What the hell? Juggie? The asshole has the nerve to glance at him as if he’s the intruder before smiling back at her.   
« No problem, Emma. Hey, Sweet Pea »  
She looks at Sweets one more time, as if she doesn’t really want to leave, before opening the door of the pizzeria and going inside. Now that she isn’t here to see him loose his shit, Pea can’t help but clench his fists as FP’s son comes closer.  
« Look, I know all about your reputation with girls. But Emma’s not like that. Leave. Her. Alone. »  
That’s it. He’s gonna rip him apart. Obviously seeing how pissed off he’s getting, Toni and Fangs quickly head his way, leaving the rest of their friends back to watch in fascination. Fogarty puts his arm around his shoulders, trying to discretely restrain him from doing something stupid.   
« You’re not one of us yet, Jones. You don’t get to tell me what to do », he spats.   
Toni looks flabbergasted. Usually, Sweet Pea’s normal reaction would be to just shrug it off and laugh, saying something along the lines of « there are plenty of fishes in the sea and plenty of girls who want me ». But it’s not like that. Although he really, really wants to bring Emma to some dark corner and have his wicked way with her delicious body, it feels more important. He has to admit it doesn’t feel like simple sexual attraction.   
« Guys, maybe we should all calm down? », suggests Topaz.  
It looks like neither of them are going to back down, but they’re interrupted by Emma coming back with a pizza in her hands. She stares curiously at the little group before instinctively stepping closer to Sweet Pea. He looks down at her, unable to hold back a grin at how cute she looks trying to carry the big box and a bag of fries.   
« Jug, not that I don’t wanna help but unless I grow another set of arms, how am I supposed to get on your bike with this? »   
Just the idea of her wrapping her arms around another guy makes him want to kill something. Preferably the boy in question, who’s still looking at him with daggers in his eyes.   
« Jug? », she asks again, this time sounding a bit worried.   
He finally turns away and goes to his motorcycle, opening up the bench which is hollow and acts like a trunk, getting out an old messenger bag.   
« Just put it in there and I’ll keep it on my lap. »  
She nods before once again looking at him. He’s literally shaking with anger, but he tries to act like a decent human being. Even if she’s Jughead’s girl, it won’t stop him from doing everything he can to get her to like him.  
« It was really nice meeting you, Sweet Pea. See you on Monday? »  
Looking forward to it, Snow White. »  
She blushes once more, fire in her brown eyes as she gives all of his body a once over. She seems to like what she sees. Fuck yeah, baby. Get a good look, he thinks.   
« Bye », she whispers.  
After storing their food in Jones’ bag, she puts on the helmet he hands her and gets on the bike behind him. Her ass looks insanely perfect in those tight jeans but he can’t even appreciate the sight considering the fact that she has her arms wrapped up around the asshole. Still, he watches as their figures get smaller and smaller, until they turn the corner and he can’t see them anymore.  
« Jesus, she’s hot. Mind telling me what the fuck just happened, Sweets? »  
He turns around and, in a moment of blind anger, punches the brick wall. 

 

« So… this Sweet Pea guy. What’s his deal? »  
They’re sitting in front of the T.V, watching a re-run of The Simpsons. Weirdly enough, she knows all of the episodes by heart. She even owns a few t-shirts.   
« What do you mean? »  
She can’t help but bite her lip as she replays their interaction in her head. He’s so freaking hot she thought she was going to pass out when they spoke. It felt as if all of the cells in her body were screaming for his touch. She wanted to climb him like a tree, still does if she’s being honest. And the tattoo on his neck? His voice? Just thinking about it is making her wet again.  
« Well… I don’t know. Is he nice? Is he your friend? Is he single? »   
He stares at her as if she’s grown another head. What? She’s only human. It’s not her fault that Sweet Pea is sex on two legs.   
« You do realize he’s part of the Serpents, right? »  
She raises her brows. She knows perfectly well that he’s going to join them soon. Hell, he grew up with them. If someone should be aware of the fact that they’re not all bad, it’s him.   
Yeah, so what? FP’s a Serpent too but he still taught me how to ride my bike. »  
Jughead sighs, taking off his beanie long enough to run a hand through his hair. He hears how stupid he sounds, but shit. Emma’s like his little sister and the thought of her with someone as dangerous as Pea is terrifying. He’s seen how anger prone he is and even though he’s noticed that the guy has a code and would never hurt an innocent, let alone a girl, he doesn’t approve.   
« He’s single. But he’s also not the kind of person who dates, Em. Just… promise me you’ll be careful with him. »  
« Relax, Juggie. I never said I was interested. »  
But only an idiot wouldn’t notice the smile that she can’t keep off her face at the mention of his name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to know what song inspired this story, listen to "Snow White" by Dennis Lloyd. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my work!


	3. Kicking Lockers

Emma isn’t surprised to wake up fifteen minutes before her alarm, which she had set for 6 o’clock. Yesterday she was so nervous that Jughead spent all of his time trying to distract her. They went to Pop’s with Betty who, as always, was a real sweetheart. She adored the relationship between her cousin and his girlfriend. They both looked at each other as if they were a miracle. Bets and her already made plans to go out together to talk about her first day at school. After their lunch, Jug took her to the Bijou for a double feature. He even helped her cook fajitas for dinner even though he is a real disaster around the kitchen. Yet, when she finally went to bed, she didn’t fall asleep until almost two in the morning.   
Classes start at eight thirty, which is one of the only perks of this new high school since, from what she has heard, it’s more of a jungle than anything else. Jug has promised her that they will arrive extra early so he can give her a tour and help her get her timetable.   
Deciding to make profit of the few extra minutes, she gets up and heads to the bathroom to shower. She’s extra careful not to linger, almost forgoing her usual coconut body-scrub before deciding it’s still useful to have soft skin. Especially if a certain drop-dead gorgeous giant decides to touch her… Ugh. She wishes. Because as much as she hates to admit that she’s that weak, the other thing that kept her awake tonight was him. She kept replaying their conversation in her head, adding what ifs. Like what if he’d grabbed her and kissed her hard? Or what if she’d dragged him to the dark alleyway close to the pizzeria and enjoyed his body for a while? This is crazy, yet so exhilarating. There’s even butterflies in her stomach when she realizes that she might bump into him today.  
Which is probably the reason why she decides that it’s a good day for a skirt, picking up a high-waisted black denim mini from her still unpacked suitcase. She pairs it with a thin pale grey turtleneck. It’s one of her favourite outfits and she hopes that it’ll help her to make a good impression without being too preppy. Southside High isn’t exactly the place to dress up like a rich 1950s housewife.   
As for makeup, she fills in her eyebrows and puts on mascara. At the last minute, she decides to add some cherry chapstick that makes her lips redder and, bonus, taste absolutely delicious.  
It’s now seven fifteen. Jug told her that they’d leave at around seven thirty so she goes up to his door to knock on it. He answers back with a groan, making her laugh. He’s never been a morning person. To make sure that he doesn’t hate her too much today, she hurries to serve him a cup of coffee. She herself doesn’t take any, since she absolutely hates the taste of it. Instead she settles for a glass of water and a single piece of toast with peanut butter.

« Hey, Ems. Not too nervous for your first day? », her cousin asks after he’s done showering.

« I’m absolutely terrified, actually. »

She’s gone through every possible scenario in her head, from getting jumped by a rival gang to riding off into the sunset with Sweet Pea. She has been updated about the situation with the Ghoulies so she has a pretty good idea of what could happen if she’s not careful. Especially being a Jones. 

« Hey, don’t worry. I’ll be with you the entire time. »

She’s so glad to have him in her life. He’s always acted like a protective older brother towards her. Made sure she resisted Chuck Clayton’s charm when he asked her out when she was thirteen. Pushed Archie in the pool when he commented on her growing boobs the summer after she hit puberty. When she was little, she used to pray every night to be FP’s daughter. That way, not only would she get an incredible parent but also wonderful siblings. Jug’s little sister is also her everything. She tries to call Jellybean once every two weeks to make sure that everything is okay and to give her advice about boys even though she hasn’t ever dated anyone herself. 

« Thank you so much, Juggie. I don’t know what I’d do without you. »

He blushes and ducks his head. He might be extremely close to her but that doesn’t make him any more comfortable with affection. Which is probably why she was so surprised the first time he told her about Betty. If she hadn’t seem them together herself she probably wouldn’t have believed it. The gorgeous blonde definitely did a number on him.  
Seeing that it’s now time to leave, she hurries to clean off her plate before grabbing her backpack. Since she hasn’t really had the time to fill it much, it weights practically nothing. The only things that are in it are her wallet, a notebook and a pencil case. And with how Jughead talks about Southside High, she doesn’t expect to get too many textbooks. It’s actually one of the things that bothers her the most about the move. She’s always been a good student and she’d like to keep it that way. Especially if she wants to get into a decent college. Yet it seems that, at her new school, neither the students nor the teachers care much about education. Oh well, she’ll cross that bridge when she gets to it, she decides.

« We should go right now if you want a tour. », her cousin says.

She slips on a pair of black ankle boots, knowing her favourite knee high velvet ones would probably be too much for today. Thankfully, it’s not too cold outside that she has to wear a jacket. Which obviously doesn’t stop Jug from grabbing his famous denim jacket and beanie. Sometimes he reminds her of a comic book character that has a single outfit.   
As they reach the truck, the butterflies in her stomach start to feel more like dinosaurs ripping her insides apart. She’s completely terrified. And it’s not as if the only thing that she has to worry about is if people will like her. Oh no. She’ll also have to watch her back for gang members looking to earn their stripes by taking out a Jones. Charming. She pictures herself trying to fight someone back and lets out a giggle. She’s literally the least threatening person on the planet. The only time she threw a punch was in gym class, at a punching bag. And she’d apologized to it before realizing her mistake. Her friends still teased her about it sometimes. Said she was sweeter than a Disney character and could probably get birds to do her bidding if she tried.  
To calm her nerves, she reaches for the radio. She knows Jug isn’t the biggest fan of the kind of music that she listens to but she decides that he’ll have to get over it for today. She belts out the lyrics to a new pop song as they drive, gazing out the window. Most of the buildings in the Southside are not in a good state. As for the houses, they look like a joke compared to those on the Northside. The lawn isn’t mowed perfectly, there aren’t two stories and tons of cars parked in the driveway. The lucky few who actually own a real home aren’t too keen on landscaping. As for the shops, the selection isn’t exactly great. There are two bars. The Whyte Wyrm, which is basically Serpent exclusive, and Skull, which is owned by the Ghoulies and almost right at the Greendale border. There’s also a pizzeria, a grocery store so tiny it only has four aisles and a garage.   
Thankfully, it’s not like she’s used to mansions and luxury malls. Which is probably why she already feels at home.  
The school is everything that she expected it to be. While the building itself looks like any other high school that she’s been to, the pale walls have been decorated with multiple spray paint tags. Students are littered across the parking lot, which consists mostly of cars dating back to the eighties and motorcycles. There are cigarette butts all over the ground, a few beer bottles close to the main stairs. And so many leather jackets she feels like she just stumble into the movie Grease.

« It’s… picturesque », she whispers.

Her cousin snorts as he parks the car close to the doors. He remembers having the same thought the first time that he saw this place. Now, he doesn’t even bat an eye as he gets out and notices people fighting close to the fence.

« Don’t worry, you get used to it. Just… stick close to me, okay? »

She looks at him with wide eyes, hurrying to reach his side and grabbing his wrist tightly. She looks like a deer in headlights, he realizes. An easy target. He’ll have to convince the Serpents to keep an eye on her. Hopefully the fact that she is their leader’s niece will be enough, but he can already picture Sweet Pea mocking him for his previous words of « no more favours coming your way ». Or maybe not, he thinks as he recalls the way the tall biker looked at Emma yesterday. If he’s right, and God knows that he hopes he’s wrong, he won’t need to ask him for anything concerning her safety.   
They reach the doors without any real struggle, save a few predatory looks in her direction. She doesn’t even have time to freak out before they’re inside and she becomes too busy taking it all in. Apart from the graffitis and people doing drugs in the corner, it almost looks exactly like the place she studied at in her old town. Somehow, it feels reassuring.  
She follows Jug’s directions and puts her backpack on the table next to the metal detector, thankful that the alarm doesn’t go off when she passes through. She grabs her things back and follows her cousin as he goes up to a pretty girl with pink hair that she briefly remembers from yesterday. She’s wearing fishnet stockings, denim shorts, a band tee and a flannel with the infamous Serpent leather jacket over it. She looks hot, badass, and basically everything Emma isn’t. She doesn’t know if she should hate her or revere her. Said girl is already eyeing them curiously, her eyebrows raised as she takes in the way Jughead has casually put his arm on her shoulders.

« Hey, Toni. »

« What’s up, Jones. You gonna introduce me? »

Jughead turns towards her, smiling.

« This is my cousin, Emma. She just moved in with me. Emma, this is Toni. »

For a second, the girl looks surprised before she lets out a loud laugh. It lights up her entire face and somehow makes her even more stunning, which should be illegal. Even her teeth are perfect.

« This is golden, wait until the guys hear this! Nice to meet you, Emma. Welcome to Riverdale. »

« Thanks! Your hair is amazing, by the way. I wish I could pull something like that off. »

Toni links her arm with hers, grinning. She already adores the girl, not only because she isn’t Jughead’s new girl but also because she’s the reason for the great show she had seen yesterday. After their departure, Sweet Pea had proceeded to punch the wall before spending the entire night mumbling threats about Jones and the things he’d do to his « stupid face ». She’d obviously seen her friend mad before, since it was basically his natural state, but it was certainly the first time she’d seen hit pout. Like, literally pout like a sulking three year old who’d had his favourite toy confiscated. He’d refused to talk about it with them, telling them to fuck off every time they tried, but everyone who had seen the interaction could guess what was going on. 

« You and I are gonna be great friends. Just so you know, I’m already planning a girls’ night. »

Maybe Southside High won’t be so hard after all, she thinks. They continue walking down the hallway, Toni turning around to flip the bird when a guy wolf-whistled at them. Jughead isn’t far behind, a small grin on his face seeing the two bonding already. He was worried that the Serpents wouldn’t like her since she isn’t exactly biker material, but getting the approval of someone as important into the gang’s teen hierarchy is a very good start. 

« So here you have people consuming Jingle Jangle. Don’t do it. The bathrooms are over here but I wouldn’t suggest using them cause they don’t have stalls and the janitors aren’t exactly thorough. This is the Red and Black office that Jug and I just restarted. This is probably where your locked is situated but I wouldn’t put anything in it if I were you. It tends to get stolen within the hour. »

I’m not in Kansas anymore», Emma mumbles, causing Toni to laugh again.

They continue to walk for a while until someone calls the pink haired girl’s name. They turn around to find a group of people wearing Serpents jacket hanging out, laughing loudly and pushing each other around. They look incredibly intimidating but Emma knows now is not the time to chicken out. 

« Come on, let me introduce you to my friends », says Toni.

She’s about to turn to Jughead for moral support when she spots him. He’s leaning against the lockers, looking straight at her. She wonders how long he’s been watching her. His gaze is almost burning her skin, in a good way. It warms her entire body and makes her tingle from head to toes. His dark hair is slicked back save a few strands that fall unto his face, making him look sinful. He’s wearing jeans, a grey flannel and his jacket, an outfit that she wouldn’t think was anything special on anyone else but looks absolutely incredible on him. She’s honestly never seen anyone hotter in her entire life, and she’s saying that even though she watched Tom Hardy play twins in Legend. He looks like a freaking GQ model and she feels like she’s going to spontaneously combust.   
He’s smiling, looking happy that he’s got her attention. As if she could help herself. He slowly takes in her appearance, eyes lingering on her legs as he notices the skirt. He has the audacity to lick his lips and she feels her knees almost buckle. 

« Guys, this is Emma. Emma, this is Fangs » she points to a hot guy with dark hair and tan skin, « Blade, Tiny Legs, Parker, Red » the others barely nod at her before returning to their conversation « and you already know Sweet Pea ». 

« Hi », she smiles.

« Say, Em. When did you move here and where do you live? », asked Fangs.

She’s surprised that he’s already given her a nickname but she has to admit that she already feels comfortable with him too. He’s got warm eyes and a nice smile. 

« I just moved last week. I’m living at the trailer park with Lonely Boy. »

She turns towards her cousin, who’s now standing at her side. He looks pretty comfortable with the Serpents for a guy who swore up and down that he isn’t considering joining them. She playfully punches his arm as he laughs. 

Fangs doesn’t get the chance to answer her as a loud noise resonates throughout the hall, making them all jump. It takes her a few seconds to realize what’s happening. Sweet Pea’s leaving, looking ready to murder someone. He bumps into Jughead so hard that he stumbles a few steps, looking a bit confused. Everyone is staring at them. Fangs is frowning. Toni is laughing. And suddenly, Emma realizes that there is now a dent in the lockers that wasn’t there before. Just where the tall Serpent’s feet used to be. 

« You, my dear, just made this school a lot more interesting », declares Toni Topaz.

She doesn’t answer, too busy staring at the back of the head that’s slowly disappearing amongst the crowd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! I'm so happy to be getting some good feedback, thank you so so so much for taking the time to read my story!


	4. Think before you speak

She knows it’s stupid but she feels as if she has something to do with Sweet Pea storming off. Maybe it’s the fact that since then Fangs and Toni have been staring at her and whispering to each other, or the way Jughead’s fists seem to clench and unclench every time he turns towards the door the tallest Serpent was headed to before turning back to her. Still, they’ve only met once and even though she’d probably follow him anywhere if he asked, she’s aware of the fact that she isn’t important enough to get him to kick a locker in a rage. 

« So, we only have fifteen minutes before class and we still have to get your schedule. We should go right now. »

She nods, nervously fixing her hair before following him down the hall. She flinches when someone puts their arm around her shoulder before realizing that it’s just Fangs. He’s smiling at her warmly. 

« Don’t worry about Sweets, he’s got an awful temper. This happens all the time. »

She sees Toni elbow him in the ribs, making him wince and turn towards her with a frown. She whispers something to him with grinned teeth, giving him a look that could probably kill a weaker man.

« Geez, okay. Don’t get your panties in a twist », he mumbles before once again focussing on Emma.

« Hmm… Sweets isn’t that bad, I just meant that he’s… uh…. spirited. Other than that, he’s a great guy! »

This feels weirder by the second, but before she can answer, Jug interrupts them to tell them that they’re here. She follows him into the office where a woman in her mid forties is loudly chewing gum while reading a magazine. She’s got a face tattoo, some kind of flower grazing her cheek, temple and brow. Just another reminder that this is not a regular high school with a sweet secretary who keeps candy on her desk.

« Hi, I’m sorry to bother you but I’m a new student and I was told that I had to come here to register. »

« Name? »

« Emma Jones »

Her last name has been a recurrent argument with her mother in the past few years. She wants to keep the Jones name event though she has never met her father, wanting to keep everything that connected her to FP and his children. Even though she doesn’t see him as often as they’d both like, he’s always made sure that she knew just how much he cares about her. Even calls her his second daughter, which always makes her tear up. Her mom, however, is not the biggest fan of FP and especially not of his Serpents heritage. She’s also somehow always resented Emma’s dad for dying and leaving her alone. Which is why she often tries to convince her daughter to take her own last name. It never worked. And now it never will, not after the Mike incident.  
The lady searches through some messily scattered documents before finally handing her a yellow piece of paper. 

« There you go », she grumbles before her eyes fall back to an article about Tom Cruise’s secret sexuality.

Emma doesn’t even get the chance to know her classes herself before Toni grabs the timetable for herself, comparing it to the rest of the gang’s.

« You’re with Fangs in History, then we all have Biology, Gym and English together. We’ve all got the same free period at the end of the day. »

She’s too shy to ask if « we » includes Sweet Pea, but she sure hopes so. She wants to make sure that he’s okay after that little scene. Also… it wouldn’t be too bad to spend hours with him everyday. Although it wouldn’t be beneficial to her grades since she’d probably be too busy thinking about how hot he looks to concentrate on what the teachers are saying. 

« That’s great », she answers with a smile.

She lets Jug give serious instructions to Fangs about keeping an eye on her before proceeding to follow said Serpent to their first class. She’s sincerely glad to have him with her, not only because of the menacing glare he shoots to anyone who looks at them for too long, but also simply because he’s good company. He keeps telling her funny stories about the bad situations he got in because of his recklessness, obviously trying to distract her from her nerves. And it’s working, since she spends the entire walk laughing.  
She quickly realize that none of her clothes will fit with the usual fashion trends adopted by the students of Southside High. She could always replace her regular black opaque tights for fishnets and buy a few more band tees, but she’d probably look like a little girl playing dress up. Oh well. At least she doesn’t only own pastel shirts.  
When they get to the history room, Fogarty makes her sit right beside him in the corner closest to the door. She’s not too surprised with the appearance of the place. The walls are covered with pictures of famous battle scenes and historical figures. There is also a laminated posters of every American president that hasn’t been changed since Bill Clinton’s term of office. Her desk is full of crude carvings which she assumes were done with pocket knives since there’s a guy doing the exact same thing a few rows down.  
The bell rings, yet people continue to chat loudly. The teacher, a middle aged man who looks like he absolutely hates his job doesn’t even glance in the direction of the culprits and instead starts a boring monologue about the Civil War. She tries to listen to him and even takes a few notes but she isn’t too nervous. Fangs did tell her that the exams were so incredibly easy a first grader could ace it.  
After a while, she gives up on following the lesson and starts looking through some Snapchats her friends from back home sent her. Fangs looks over he shoulder and asks about each and everyone of them. He even takes a few pictures with her when Ophelia asks her if there are any hotties in Riverdale. Obviously, with his friend right beside her, she doesn’t mention Sweet Pea’s gorgeousness to O’. And if she’s being totally honest with herself, she isn’t ready to share him yet. She’s barely said a world to him and yet she’s feeling kind of possessive about the guy. 

« So, do you have a boyfriend in your old town? »

It might sound as if he’s hitting on her, but somehow she doubts it. He has been nothing but friendly since they started talking. He just looks genuinely interested in knowing what is going on in her life.

« Uh, no, there’s nobody. I never had one, actually. »

He looks completely flabbergasted. She briefly wonders what face he’d make he if knew she hasn’t even kissed a guy yet. 

« Wait, what? Really? Is it because you swing another way? ‘Cause trust me when I say that I wouldn’t judge. »

He’s so sweet she almost can’t resist hugging him. Somehow she has a feeling that he’s going to become one of her closest friends. Not only is he hilarious but he also seems incredibly caring, the kind of guy to never say no when it comes to helping his loved ones.

« Thank you for saying that, but no, I’m actually into men. I just hadn’t… haven’t met anyone I’m truly interested in, I mean. »

He raises his brows at her brief mistake, but thankfully doesn’t insist. They spend the rest of the class playing Hangman. 

 

The labs aren’t too far from where they were, which is probably why they get there before Jughead and Toni. There are a few students already sitting down, Sweet Pea included. He looks incredibly stiff, glaring at the black board as if it did something to him. She’s almost too scared to approach him, but Fangs grabs her wrist and heads his way.  
It takes him a few seconds to notice them, and when he does, his brows furrow even more. She shoots him a small smile, but he doesn’t return it, quickly looking away from her and never glancing back in her direction. Resigned, she makes her way to a seat right behind him and lets Fangs sit down beside him. She tries to focus on her cellphone but her hands are trembling. What did she do to make him so angry? She’s literally known him two days. She’s aware that it probably doesn’t have anything to do with and that she shouldn’t expect for him to be warm and friendly towards her. After all, they aren’t friends. Still, as dumb as it may sound, she almost feels like crying.  
Fogarty probably senses her mood since he turns towards her with a sympathetic smile. If possible, she likes even more because of it. 

« So, what’s it like living with Jughead Jones? », he asks, clearly trying to distract her from her gloomy thoughts.

She notices that Sweet Pea suddenly looks even more tense, fists clenched so tightly the knuckles are turning white. 

« Well, it’s pretty great. He can’t cook to save his life but he’s got tons of great DVDs and he doesn’t hog the bathroom. »

« So did you take charge of the kitchen? »

« Sure. I mean, I’m no Julia Child myself but I can make a few things. Besides, it’s kind of my way to pay rent. »

The tall Serpent in front of her scoffs, never turning around but speaking loud enough for her to hear. 

« Yeah right, that and a few blowjobs. »

It feels like he punched her in the face. She doesn’t know if she wants to laugh or throw one of the heavy microscopes sitting on the shelves right at his face. 

« What the fuck, dude? », Fangs growls out.

« You know what? Fuck you. You don’t even know me. So keep your mysoginist comments to yourself you imbecile. »

Her cousin and the pink haired Serpent choose that moment to enter, unknowingly dissipating a tense situation. Jug sits on her right and Toni on her left. And as they chat with her about her first class, it’s Emma’s turn to not once look Sweet Pea’s way.

 

He regrets it the second the words leave his mouth. Too consumed by his anger, he wasn’t able to hold back a bitter comment after hearing about how great living with the stupid beanie wearing wimp is. It’s so stupid, because he has no right to be mad. He doesn’t have any sort of claim on her, even though he’s been feeling like he does since the first saw her. And he’s not even pissed at her. At the situation, sure. Even at Jones. But not at her. Never at her. And after seeing the hurt that crossed her face, followed by the disgust, he’d like nothing more than to punch himself in the face.  
Yet he has to admit that he was quite turned on with the way she answered him. She didn’t even hesitate to put him back in his place. He likes that. A lot. It means that she knows how to defend herself and that she won’t let people walk all over her no matter how sweet she may look.  
Fangs spends the entire class telling him how much of an idiot he is. Usually it would end up with him giving him a good beating, but this time he knows that he deserves it. Which is why he lets it happen all throughout second period and even on the way to their lunch table.  
Toni, Fangs and Sweet Pea sit down with a few of the other Serpents after getting something to eat. Jughead and Emma aren’t there yet since the teacher wanted to speak to her. Which is probably why his best friend decides now is a great time to rip him a new one.

« What the hell was that, Pea? »

« What are you talking about? », asks Topaz.

He proceeds to tune them out as Fangs recalls in great details the way he acted towards the new girl, starting with how he basically ignored her when he walked him. Just this part of the story is enough for Toni to send a glare his way. So when he gets to the part about his incredibly rude and unnecessary comment, she looks like she’d cut his throat if he could.

« Why the fuck would you say something like that? I thought you liked her, for God’s sake! », she yells at him.

« I know, I know. Don’t you think I already hate myself enough for it? I didn’t think. »

He feels so guilty his throat is burning, which is why he tries to soothe it by taking a big gulp of orange juice. Something which proves to be a very bad idea since he proceeds to spit it everywhere a second later.

« And besides that, why the hell would she give blowjobs to her cousin? »

« Her what? »

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally the next chapter is here! I'm so excited to see that you've enjoyed the story so far. Thank you so much for all of your lovely comments! xx


	5. Meeting the beast

She ends up talking to the teacher for only ten minutes, yet as she gets out of the classroom with Jughead, the hallway is almost completely empty save for a few people taking what is probably drugs out of colourful straws. Her cousin takes that moment to fill her in on Jungle Jangle and how stupid it would be to take it. Which isn’t exactly a really useful speech since she’s not much of a party girl. 

« Say, did something happen with Sweet Pea? He looked like he swallowed a lemon and you didn’t even look at him once. »

She isn’t really surprised by this question. She’d seen the curious glances exchanged between Toni and Jug when she only told Fangs goodbye. But that doesn’t mean that she feels like talking about it. Not only is she still mad but the entire situation makes her look pretty stupid. She talked to this guy once for maybe ten minutes and she still thought about him all weekend. Hell, anyone with two eyes could’ve noticed the heart eyes she was throwing his way this morning. Apparently, she’s not the best judge of character because he turned out to be a macho asshole who obviously doesn’t give a damn about her.

« Nope, nothing happened », she mumbles.

Jughead immediately senses that she’s lying but is smart enough to not push the subject any further. He’ll just have to ask Fangs. He hopes it won’t result in a confrontation with the tall Serpent, since he’s basically twice his size. He’d never win in a fight with him, especially since he guesses that Pea has probably been beating up people for most of his life. Yet, if he’s insulted her cousin in any way, he won’t really have a choice. He’ll have to defend her honour. Ever since he heard about what happened to her with her mom’s boyfriend, he’s promised himself that he’d watch out for her and make sure no guy would disrespect her that way again. He wants her to feel safe in Riverdale. More than that, he wants her to stay. With his mother and sister in Toledo and his dad in prison, she’s basically the only family that he’s got.  
He doesn’t get the chance to say anything else since they finally reach the doors leading to the cafeteria. Not only is it extremely crowded, but it’s also obviously separated between gang members. She lets her gaze wander for a moment before she’s interrupted by a loud call. 

« Yo, mama, come sit on my lap! »

She blushes bright red when she realizes that the Ghoulie is speaking to her. He looks absolutely terrifying, face full of piercings and a leather jacket covered in metal studs. Thankfully, she doesn’t have to answer since Jug proceeds to shoot a glare in his direction before grabbing her wrist and guiding her towards the food.  
The black board announces that today’s choices are meatloaf or mac and cheese, both of which don’t look at all like they’re supposed to. She promises herself to pack her own lunch from now on. Maybe she could make Jughead something too. He’s not exactly difficult and could probably eat three portions of this odd meatloaf without even suffering from stomach ache, but she’d feel bad taking from their groceries without making sure that he’s also well fed. She proceeds to grab some macaroni and a bottle of water, frowning when she notices that all of the brownies also written on the menu have been taken. Figures. She curses her new teacher in her head for making her miss what would’ve been her favourite part of the entire meal. 

« Follow me, the Serpents and I sit over there. »

She isn’t surprised to discover that the gang has a reserved seating spot, surrounded by a chain link fence. There are a few tables with different people wearing the special jackets. For the most part, she doesn’t know their names and doesn’t recognize their faces. In the very centre, however, are the people that she does know. Toni and Fangs are laughing loudly, tears in their eyes because of their hilarity. Sweet Pea’s furiously wiping at his mouth with a napkin, cheeks red and avoiding everyone’s gaze. He looks mad and surprised at the same thing, but she doesn’t linger on this odd mix of emotions. After all, she’s still pretty mad at him and his insulting comment. 

« Look guys, it’s the Jones cousins. »

They both exchange a confused glance as Toni literally loses it. Sweet Pea, on the other hand, looks like he just sucked on a lemon. Obviously, something happened while they were talking to the bio teacher.

« I’m not even gonna ask », Jug declares.

Since there are only two seats left and Jughead just took the one in front of Topaz, she ends up facing Sweet Pea. It’s extremely awkward and frankly she doesn’t know how to act. She’s not one to hold grudges so she doesn’t feel like glaring at him, but it’s not like she can shoot him a smile. He literally accused her of paying rent in blowjobs. So clearly he’s not her biggest fan. Which is why she ends up focussing on her food, only managing to eat a few bites before she gives up. Not only does it taste disgusting, but it’s also almost impossible to chew. She’ll just have to endure the rest of the day on a mostly empty stomach.

« You ready for gym, Em? », asks Fogarty.

She’s never been a fan of this class. In her old school, the teacher was obsessed with baseball and made them play outside almost everyday of the year. Once, it was snowing so bad that she ended up slipping while attempting to reach the next base. She twisted her ankle and had to use crutches for the next five weeks. The only advantage being that she was exempt from playing again.

« Not really. Say, what sport are you guys playing? »

« Dodgeball, I think. »

She lets out a pained groan, laying her head on the table. Could it get any worse? Literally every student in this school looks like they could overpower her in a second and now she’ll have to catch the balls they throw at her face? Surely she won’t survive this day without at the very least a black eye.

« Oh gosh, I’m dead. »

Toni, Fangs and Jughead laugh at her and try to convince her that it won’t be too bad. Seeing that their pep talk isn’t going to work, they give up and change the subject.

« You’ve barely eaten anything, couldn’t you at the very least take a dessert or a snack with your meal? »

« I would’ve taken a brownie, but they were all gone », she grumbles.

She tries her best to participate in the conversation, but she ends up just zoning out, thinking about her next classes and what she’ll cook tonight. Which is probably why she jumps when a plate suddenly slides towards her.  
He gaze meets Sweet Pea’s heated one. He bites his lip nervously, fumbling with his rings as if to distract himself.

« Here, take mine. Consider this my apology. I’m so sorry, Emma. I didn’t mean what I said. It was really sexist and fucked up and totally not deserved. I don’t know why I said it. Actually, I do know. It’s cause I’m an asshole. I’m not good at getting along with people, usually I just solve every problem with my fists and I was mad and I just reacted and I know it’s not an excuse but I didn’t think. I respect women, I do. I respect you. And I’m shit at apologies so I hope the brownie will soften it because I don’t want you to hate me and I’d like to start over and… »

She can’t take it anymore. A wide smile stretches on her face as she reaches over and places her hand on his own, stopping him from once again taking off his heavy metal ring. He’s so adorable right now, gazing at her in a way that reminds her of a kicked puppy. Who could say no to this pout?

« Hey, breathe, it’s okay. What you said was really shitty, but I’m happy that you care enough to apologize. We all say dumb stuff sometimes. So I’ll forgive on two conditions. First, we share the brownie and second, you help me survive the dodgeball game. »

She almost looses her breath at the way he grins at her. He looks so freaking happy and stunning that it hurts. 

« Deal! »

They spend the rest of lunch eating the brownie and getting to know each other better, both feeling a deep relief they’re not ready to acknowledge yet.

 

« Is this even appropriate? »

She had been so nervous about her first day at school that she hadn’t thought about bringing gym clothes just in case. Which is why she ended up asking Toni if she had something that she could borrow. Of course, the fact that she’s taller and slightly curvier than the pink-haired girl didn’t cross her mind. Which is why she’s now standing in front of the mirrors in the locker room, trying to tug on the shorts to make them hide her thighs more.  
Sure, the shirt itself isn’t too problematic since it was made to fit larger. But the gym shorts are barely covering her ass. She feels like she’s going to play the tacky version of an athlete in some kind of cheap porn. If being knew to school didn’t make people notice her, this sure will do the trick. 

« Well… I certainly wouldn’t go to church wearing this, but it’s just for one class so it’s fine! Besides, most of the girls in Southside High wear stuff that’s even more daring. »

She turns around, noticing a girl with a bleached blonde pixie cut heading towards the gym in what could pass as a swimsuit. Okay, so maybe it won’t be that bad. 

« If you say so. »

« I do, now stop worrying and let’s go before we’re late! This is one of the only courses that I actually enjoy. »

They’ve almost reached the others when Toni leans in and whispers in her ear. 

« He’s looking at you like a starved man stares at his favourite meal. »

She knows exactly who she’s talking about. Tan and muscular arms crossed over his chest, hair more dishevelled than usual, he doesn’t even look the least bit ashamed by the raw hunger that’s evident on his face as her takes her in. He doesn’t smile, doesn’t say anything either, but proceeds to stride quickly in her direction and put a hand on her shoulder, shooting a menacing glare behind his shoulder at the other guys standing near the bleachers. This is an obvious show of possession if she’s ever seen one. It should insult her, ignite every feminist cell in her body, yet it doesn’t. In fact, she leans in a little closer, enjoying his delicious scent. When she realizes that he won’t be dropping his hand anytime soon, she’s ashamed to say that she almost purrs in content.  
He ends up making good on his promise. She doesn’t even once fear being hit by the ball as he catches every single one that even comes near her general direction, throwing them with so much strength she’s surprised that their opponents are still standing. So she’s not exactly startled when they end up winning the game. She gets on her tippy toes to give him a high five and thank him once again for his protection. 

« You’ve got insane reflexes. Seriously, you should be a superhero or something! »

He grins at her as Jughead rolls his eyes, obviously finding her praises a bit over the top. Thankfully for him, they’re interrupted before the tall Sweet Pea can answer. 

« Nice ass, bet it’d look even better bent over while I fuck it. »

She can’t even process the situation fully before her tall companion turns around, murder written on his face as he prowls towards the idiot. 

« What. The. Fuck. Did you just say to her? » 

« I said I’d like to fuck that ass. Bet it’s virgin tight, too. It wouldn’t be once I’m done with her. »

« Oh shit, he’s dead », whispers Fangs.

Not even a second later, the guy is on the ground with Sweet Pea on top of him hitting him so quickly his fist is almost blurry. He’s snarling, his eyes looking even darker than usual and out of focus. His rival has stopped fighting a long time ago and yet he just doesn’t stop. It’s as if he’s possessed.

« We need to do something! »  
« Can’t. He’s unstoppable when he’s in this state. Last time I tried I ended up with a broken cheekbone. »

« But he’s gonna kill him! »

« Hopefully he’ll stop before it comes this far. »

She just cannot accept this answer. Escaping the arm that Fogarty as thrown in front of her, she cautiously steps closer to the fight, crouching close to him but far enough that she hopefully won’t get hit. 

« Sweets? Hey, listen to me », she says in a soothing voice. « It’s okay, you can stop now. »

She’s encouraged by the way he seems to slow down, turning his face slightly in her direction. She feels as if she’s coaxing a wild animal. 

« Hey, he’s learned his lesson. It’s over. Please stop. »

And just like that, he does, stepping away from the bloodied boy, breathing heavily. His gaze is fixated on her as he tries to regain his composure, looking lost and a little bit scared. Taking pity on him, she scoots closer, caressing his arm softly with the tip of her fingers. 

« Thank you for stopping. You did good. I’m proud of you. »

They don’t notice the way the entire class, teacher included, is gaping at them.

« Bloody hell, she did it. She actually tamed the beast », Fangs whispers.

And everyone has to admit that he’s completely right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't even begin to explain just how happy your comments make me. They motivate me to keep writing. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this story, I hope you're enjoying it so far. xx


	6. Something's wrong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm SO sorry for not posting in so long. I've had a crazy couple of months. I had a ton of exams and essays for university, then I immediately started looking for a job. I was so tired all the time, it's like I couldn't write a single word. I'll try to change that now that I'm done with school and I'll only be working about thirty hours a week. Thank you so much for your lovely comments and kudos. It's honestly what motivated me to continue with this story. I hope you'll forgive me. And I promise I've got some good Sweet Pea and Emma moments saved up for chapter 7 :)

In a regular school, Sweet Pea would’ve been expelled, or at the very least suspended. But in Southside High, he doesn’t even get a slap on the wrist. In the end, the guy he beat up does not go to the E.R, regaining consciousness a few seconds after the tall Serpent stops destroying his face. And everyone just continues the day as if nothing happened. Apparently, the only surprising thing about the confrontation is the way the new girl managed to stop Sweets. In fact, it’s like she’s suddenly become some kind of legend. Everyone stares at her weirdly, even the Serpents themselves. In fact, Sweet Pea seems just as shocked as everyone else. Every few seconds, he glances down at her as if she’s some kind of strange alien that’s just landed on Earth, brows furrowed, a puzzled expression on his face.  
He doesn’t talk to anyone for the rest of the day, except for a few comments in other people’s conversation. He does, however, make sure to sit right beside her in English while Jughead sits on the other side. The teacher takes an immediate interest in her, questioning her about the material seen at her previous school and the award she’d received the year before for an essay on The Kite Runner. He seems thrilled to have another student who might pay attention in class. Of course the fact that Fangs keeps making hilarious jokes doesn’t help her at all with that.   
Still, even when he doesn’t speak, Sweets isn’t exactly easy to ignore. As she dutifully writes notes in her notebook and sometimes creates a doodle or two, he leans over her shoulder to see what she’s doing, his warm breath leaving a trail of goosebumps on her neck. Every single time that he’s close enough, she thinks about how good he smells. He must’ve taken a shower after gym, because it seems even more overpowering. It’s a weird thing to obsess over, but there’s just something so incredible about it. It makes her toes curl.  
Which is why she’s never been so thankful to hear the bell ring, signifying the end of the day. She’s officially made it through her first day in her new school. Sure, it wasn’t exactly a smooth ride, with the Sweets-almost-killing-another-student incident and all but still, she can put it all behind her and hopefully be in her pyjamas in the next hour or so.  
But before that, she has to survive the insanely boisterous crowd of students slash gang-members all extremely eager to go home as well. Anyone who’s ever spent even a day in school knows the sort of weird frenzy that seems to gain teenagers anytime they’re confronted to the slightest bit of freedom. Now add a few pocket knives and rivalry to the process and she’s sure even Sylvester Stallone would be a bit nervous. Thankfully for her, though, they all make it safely to the parking lot. Even better, she’s now further up front with Toni while Sweet Pea has conveniently remained behind with a few other Serpents whose names she doesn’t know. Maybe they’ll be able to avoid another awkward moment today.

« So, you ready to head home? », asks Jug.

She nods, grinning brightly. 

« I’ve never been more eager to leave school. »

Then the pink haired biker made her presence known, crossing her arms over her chest and raising her eyebrows. 

« Should I feel insulted? »

Laughing, Emma learned towards Toni and instinctively wraps her arms around her. She’s only known her for a day and yet she feels as connected to her as she does her closest friends. They just immediately clicked. She can already picture them talking about relationship problems and helping each other get ready. Maybe she could teach Emma how to dye her hair a fun colour. Or, in a way more badass way, maybe she could teach her some self defence moves. 

« Don’t be, please. You made my day extra amazing and you’ve officially made it on my favourite people list. »

Actually, if she’s being completely honest with herself, she’s not the only Serpent who’s made it onto said list. And she’s not just talking about Fangs. 

« Well I’m super glad you said that! I like you too, by the way. You’re a breath of fresh air for the Southside. »

They ended up exchanging numbers before Toni said that she had to go, tiny body jumping on an hilariously big motorcycle. Anyone else would look like a kid playing dress up, but she does it with such strength and confidence Emma doubts anyone could question her. She hopes that one day she’ll reach such level of coolness. But for now, she just stumbles like a baby giraffe until she makes it safely behind her cousin, punching his shoulder as he laughs at her expanse. Right as he starts the engine, she turns back and immediately makes eye contact with Sweets. He’s surrounded by a ton of people who seem to have gathered about him as if he’s the main attraction. Jug did tell her that he was sort of the young leader of the gang here at school. And after meeting him and realizing how intimidating he can be, she can totally see why. 

They’re too far away to say anything to each other, so she simply smiles timidly. Instead of smiling back, however, the idiot decides to wink. Now, never in her entire life has just ever found someone even mildly attractive when winking. In fact, Ophelia and her have a theory that only perverts actually use it in a non-ironic way. And yet, he somehow manages to pull it off. She doesn’t know why it pisses her so much. 

 

They end up eating dinner at five, too starved to wait any longer. She’s touched to see that Jughead actually tries his best to be helpful. Of course, she’s always known that he isn’t the kind of macho douchebag who thinks women belong in the kitchen and that there aren’t many scenarios in which he’d just sit on the couch waiting for his food to be served. In fact, if he wasn’t, she’s about a hundred percent sure that Betty wouldn’t be with him. That wonderful girl is smart enough to settle for nothing but the best.

« Hey, I was thinking about visiting my dad tonight. Want to come with? »

« Sure! I was just about to ask you when we could go see him. »

Jughead had told her that FP is thrilled to have her stay with them, even if the circumstances aren’t exactly good ones. She remembers her cousin calling her right after his dad was jailed, and how much she cried. Obviously, it’s a serious offence and it’s not like he’s getting out anytime soon. She wonders if he’ll be out before she gets married. Not that she’s so sure that that’s ever gonna happen. But still, she’s always pictured him walking her down the aisle.  
She gets changed before leaving, opting for something a bit more conservative. She’s never really been to jail before but she assumes that her previous skirt wouldn’t exactly be appropriate. She also switches to waterproof mascara. She’s got a bad habit of crying very easily and seeing the only father figure in her life on the other side of justice is probably going to be pretty hard.

« I should probably warn you that he’s lost a little bit of weight. Nothing too serious but still… no matter what he says, he’s not doing too great. »

She can hear the pain in her cousin’s voice. Once again she’s struck by a wave of anger at the thought of Gladys straight up leaving her only son to deal with such a bad situation. He’s been acting like a grown up for so long that it’s sometimes hard to remember his true age. But still, he’s just a kid. And no one should go through that alone. Emma wishes she could do something useful to make Jughead’s life easier. Hopefully, even her mere presence will make a difference.   
For now, she just holds his hand in hers for a few seconds before letting go, showing him that she’s here and that she won’t leave anytime soon.

 

No matter how hard she’s tried to prepare for this moment, she still bursts into tears the moment she sees FP. She doesn’t know what triggers it exactly. It might be the sheer relief she immediately feels upon confirming that he’s okay, or simply the fact that she’s missed him a lot. But it might also have something to do with the prisoner uniform he unfortunately has to wear. Thankfully, though, she quickly gets herself under control. They spend the next few minutes talking about what happened with her mom and how everyone is doing before focussing on her first day of school. 

« Were people nice to you? »

« Sure! The Serpents were pretty welcoming. I made a few friends. »

They’re about to move on without any problem when Jughead chooses that exact moment to snort a laugh and mumble under his breath. 

« Sometimes too welcoming if you ask me. »

Of course, her uncle immediately wants to know what’s going on. And she’s not about to let Jug explain the situation completely from his point of view. He has a tendency to be pretty touchy when it comes to Sweet Pea. And somehow, even from jail, she has the feeling that FP has the power to threaten anyone.

« Let’s just say that Sweet Pea’s been the president of her welcome committee», says her cousin before she has the chance to open her mouth.

« Has he been bothering you, Em? »

« No! Not at all. He’s been nothing short of a gentleman. »

Well, except for the blowjob comment that is, but she’s not about to talk about it. 

« He better be nice, or else… »

« Don’t worry about it. He’s great. »

And from the knowing that father and son exchange, she probably hasn’t succeeded in hiding the blush on her cheeks. 

 

He remembers watching a documentary in class once, about survivors from the Thailand Tsunami. A woman with haunted eyes had described her version of the nightmare, voice still shaking. It was troubling, but what had really hit him was what she’d described as the scariest part of it all. It wasn’t the massive wave, nor the chaos that followed, but how calm and quiet it had become afterwards. Somehow, they’d been so used to the terror that this new reality where they didn’t have to fear for their lives anymore had been harder to endure. Sure, his anger is nothing like a tragedy that had killed so many. But still, he can’t remember ever feeling as at peace as he had when Emma had calmed him down. They’ve tried everything to stop his violent outbursts. How can this tiny fairy somehow just swoop in and solve everything with just her words? And why does it scare him so much?

« You doing okay, dude? »

Fangs is sitting beside him, staring at him with a knowing smirk on his face. That sure as hell doesn’t help with the anger that has come back ten fold. He’s mad at everything, but most of all he’s mad at himself for being so affected by one girl. What does she have that’s so freaking special? And why does it have to be Jughead’s cousin? Half the population on Earth is female and his stupid brain decides to obsess on this one? Hell, not just his brain. His entire body seems to be attuned to hers. It’s fucked up and kind of humiliating. What will the rest of the gang think if this tiny little thing can control him so well? He needs to get his act together. 

« I’m fine. You ready to leave? »

They’ve been at the quarry for two hours now. It’s where they all hang out most nights. They’ve made it a bit more homey by adding couches, but that’s about it. It still mostly dirt and no roof, which makes it pretty shitty when it rains or snows. Thankfully though, it’s a pretty warm night.

« Yeah, just give me a minute. »

« Yo, did you guys see that? »

They all turn around at the sound of Blade’s voice. He’s pointing towards his phone.

« Some red haired dude just made a video threatening the Black Hood. »

Soon enough, everyone is pulling out their own cells. A few seconds in and Sweet Pea is already laughing his ass off. The jock is obviously trying to look threatening, arms crossed around his broad chest, a frown on his face. Behind him, some other teenagers are facing the camera, wearing hoods. Some of them don’t even have shirts on. He wonders if it’s meant to be an intimidation technique.

« Am I the only one who thinks this looks like a weird porno? »

« How dumb can these Northsiders actually get? »

« Their red circle wouldn’t survive a second in front of us », jokes a newbie whose name he can’t seem to remember.

« We should probably give this dude a lesson. I’m sure they think a Southsider is behind the murders anyway. »

As everyone starts discussing what way they could make this idiot loose his cool, he finds himself regretting not getting Emma’s number. He’s sure she’d find something hilarious to say about the video. 

As soon as the though crosses his mind, he gets mad again. She’s just one girl. He can’t let her affect him like this. Especially if he wants to make it big in the Serpents. They’ll never take him seriously if he acts like a lap dog for Jughead Jones’ cousin. In fact, he should hook up with someone tonight just to prove a point.

His eyes circle the group of girls huddled on one of the couches. They’re all fairly attractive, especially the blonde one who’s only wearing leather hot pants. A week ago, he’d have been all over that. So why the fuck does he feel nauseous at the mere thought of touching her? Why does her face morph into a rounder one, with big doe eyes and freckles? Why does he find himself looking for a curvier body and paler, softer skin? He’s getting more and more freaked out by the second. It’s fucked up. He’s fucked up. And as he runs a nervous hand through his hair, he can’t deny that this is all Emma Jones’ fault.


	7. Claws

It’s surprising just how easily she’s gotten used to Southside High. The scenes that would’ve troubled her only yesterday now seem like routine. She doesn’t even blink when she climbs the steps right beside a group of teenagers doing Jingle Jangle. Nor does she stumble when passing the metal detectors. It’s an odd scene, but still, it already kind of feels like home. Sure, people still look at her funny when noticing her slightly brighter coloured clothing, but she doesn’t feel like as much of an outsider as she did on her first day. And it has a lot to do with how well the rest of the Serpents have welcomed her into their inner circle. In fact, she woke up with a bright smile on her face at the thought of being able to see her new friends again today. Toni had already texted a funny meme to her this morning and transferred a very important message from Fangs warning her that « on Wednesdays we wear pink ». They might be a chaotic bunch, but they feel right. 

When they finally reach the picnic table where the rest of the Serpents are gathered, everyone is looking at something on Sweet Pea’s laptop. He’s talking with the rest of the guys, but stops the second he sees her. She’s aware that she probably looks completely stupid, yet she just can’t seem to keep the silly grin off of her face. Somehow, even though they’ve only known each other for a few days and saw each other yesterday, she still kind of missed him. And even though he looks way more casual about it, he too smiles happily at her, both unaware of the knowing looks exchanged between the res of the group. Everyone starts talking, yet she keeps staring at him. Somehow, he looks even hotter than usual with a short sleeved shirt that shows off his muscular forearms. She’s never been a big muscles fan, but for him it seems that she’s ready to make an exception. When he slams his fist on the table, grinning and teasing Fangs about earning his stripes, she almost loses it. 

When she finally realizes what they’re talking about, she sighs loudly.

« Oh, Archie. »

Immediately, Sweets tenses up, looking at her with blazing eyes. Apparently, he’s not too happy to learn that there’s a connection there. 

« Wait, you know this tool? »

Now, everyone seems to be awaiting an answer. She shrugs, not too sure about how she’s supposed to describe her relationship with the red headed boy. They’ve spent many days together in previous summers, and even though she was a bit short with him the last time they saw each other because of his criticism of the Southside, she still likes him a lot. He’s a great guy, a bit naïve, sure, but with such a pure heart. Thankfully, Jughead takes over, trying to talk them over their plan of giving him a lesson he won’t forget. Sweets still looks pretty pissed, though. 

« And why would we do that? The Black Hood’s targeting Northsiders, who do nothing but blame the Southside for everything that’s wrong with this town, and we’re sick of it. The Black Hood’s doing our work for us. He’s a hero. »

It’s the first time since the blow job comment that Emma feels disappointed in Sweet Pea. The comment somehow reminds her of just how different they are. How can someone just stand there and calmly state their support for a murderer? A monster who attacks good people such as Fred Andrews, a man who gives her rides whenever she needs them and buys orange popsicles just because he knows that it’s her favourite flavour? No matter how awful she knows the marginalization of the Southside is, she can’t bring herself to excuse his words.

« That’s a really fucked up thing to say. Murder is not the answer to any problem. »

Jughead is already leaving, obviously troubled. She’s about to follow him, needing a bit of time to think over the situation, when a scorching hand grabs her arm.

« Wait. Shit, you’re right, I’m sorry. »

Okay, so her plan to stand her ground and make him wallow a bit? So not going to work. He’s looking at her with adorable puppy eyes and pouty lips, and he looks so freaking guilty and worried over what she thinks of him, she’s almost ready to apologize herself for no actual reason. Gosh, she’ll never judge another woman in her life for forgiving a man too easily.

« You shouldn’t say stuff like that, Sweet Pea. This man is dangerous. I’m literally scared to go anywhere alone right now knowing that he’s out there somewhere. »

He frowns, looking even more troubled. 

« Hey, I won’t let him… I mean we won’t let him get near you. And I don’t really believe that. I just spoke in the heat of the moment. I think I wanted to piss off Jones more than anything else. »

Ok, fine, so she’s completely spineless. 

« Please don’t go after Archie. He’s just shaken up because the Black Hood almost killed his dad. »

She’s standing right in front of him now, so close that she has to crane her neck to see his eyes. He still smells just as good as the day they’d first met and she’d let it slip just how intoxicating his scent is. 

« Fine. We’ll leave him alone. »

And when Fangs coughs the word « whipped » under his breath, it’s Sweet Pea’s time to blush. 

 

Thankfully for both Sweet Pea and Emma, it doesn’t take long before they stop being the centre of attention. Unfortunately, the new fascination happens to be the Black Hood who apparently sent a cypher to Riverdale High’s Blue and Gold. Of course, her cousin the detective quickly decides that it’s his job to figure out what it means. Which is why they don’t leave school when class is over and instead remain in the Red and Black’s office with Toni, reading about murderers. While the two other teens are completely invested in the task, Emma doesn’t quite feel the same passion. Not only is she pretty impatient when it comes to anything even remotely related to puzzles, but she’s also pretty freaking terrified of the Black Hood. It seems that everyone else kinda just rolls with it, which might have something to do with the fact that they just got through a similar tragedy when Jason Blossom was murdered. Since she hadn’t moved in yet when all of these events took place, she’s just not as used to the drama as the rest of her friends. Still, she tries her best, often getting distracted by the odd relationship that’s blooming between Jughead and the pink-haired Serpent. She knows that he is completely devoted to Betty, yet she’s worried. Her girl code senses are going off. And she won’t hesitate to remind Jug of just how lucky he is to have the Cooper teen in his life. No matter how much she personally adores Toni, this match just doesn’t seem as perfect as the blonde beauty and the brooding writer. 

« I’m sorry to interrupt you Hercule Poirot but I’m about to fall asleep at my desk and we still have school tomorrow. Are we gonna leave soon? »

They both jump at the sound of her voice, obviously so engrossed in their work that they forgot her presence. 

« Crap, I hadn’t realized how late it was. Sure, let’s go home. »

They make it in the parking lot in one piece, making sure to remain together to avoid any repeat of Jug’s last encounter with the Ghoulies. It only takes Emma a few minutes to fall asleep once they get back to the trailer, having nightmares of hooded figures and odd symbols.

 

The next night unfortunately ends up in the same kind of circumstances. Thankfully though they’re able to leave school and grab some dinner before Toni, Betty and Kevin joint them in sitting down on the living room floor and trying to figure out what the cypher means. She finds an ally in the sheriff’s son, who’s obviously as bored with the whole thing as her. They end up talking about movie stars and debating over who’s the hottest between Henry Cavill and Tom Hardy. It’s at difficult choice, but she has to go with the man who played Bane so well in her favourite Batman franchise. They end up on the same page, even though they both agree that Cavill is stunning in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Toni, Jughead and Betty follow their conversation with amused exasperation. 

Unfortunately, the rest of their little soirée doesn’t end up as light-hearted as her previous conversation with the adorable Keller boy. Obviously tired and on edge, Toni and Betty get into a fight about the origin of the Black Hood. After such harsh words are exchanged, both the pink haired girl and Betty’s best friend decide to leave while Jug and Betts choose to continue on with their task. 

« I’m going to bed. Don’t stay up too late, lovebirds. »

And once again, her sleep is plagued with nightmares.

 

The next morning, it’s not her alarm clock that wakes her up but the sound of her cellphone ringing. She’s surprised to see that it’s Toni, who apparently only gets up about thirty minutes before class. 

« Hello? »

« Hey, sorry to wake you up but I think you need to know what happened last night. »

Worried, Emma immediately straightens up in her bed. 

« What do you mean? What’s going on? »

« Last night, Sweet Pea, Fangs and Blade bumped into a guy who was tagging a wall. Turns out it was the same dude who did that stupid Red Circle video. »

« What? Is everyone okay? »

« Well, yeah, technically they are. The thing is, he was on our territory so they threatened him with a knife, you know, just to scare him. And the next thing you know, this guy pulls out a gun and screams at their face. »

« What the fuck?! »

« I know! Where did he even get a gun in the first place? Anyway, Sweet Pea is enraged as you can imagine. They boys are planning revenge tonight. »

Emma knows what anger is. She also knows how different it is from the dangerous combination of rage and fear that she’s feeling right now. The kind that she’s only ever experienced when her mom refused to believe what happened with Mike. It’s such a terrifying picture, what could’ve happened. She can’t shake the image of Fangs clutching a bleeding stomach from her mind, or Sweet Pea, her Sweet Pea, full of dark energy, not being on the planet anymore. Any redeeming qualities she used to find in Archie is completely gone. He really is just a tool.

« Not if I get to him first. »

« What do y… »

She hangs up, too pissed to keep on talking. Obviously, she’s not gonna do much damage to the tall football player with her five foot six frame. But still, she’s gonna put the fear of God in this idiot. Which is why she quickly gets changed into black jeans and a red t-shirt before putting her hair up in a tight, high ponytail, ready to bolt out the door. Still, her instincts tell her that she’ll look more menacing if she’s got full control of herself and her appearance, which is why she takes the time to put on some mascara, brow gel and lipgloss before finally heading towards the door. On her way out, she grabs the keys to FP’s truck, hoping that Jughead won’t mind her borrowing it. Since he’s still fast asleep on the sofa with Betty, she hopes that he won’t even have time to notice. 

She’s not surprised to find Toni waiting for her right at the other side of the door, looking a bit out of breath. Her strange words probably alarmed her enough to come and check up on her.

« I thought it’d be wise to see what you meant when you talked about getting to him first. »

« Don’t worry, I won’t kill the guy. Just pay him a nice visit. »

« Well, there’s no chance in hell that I’m missing that! I’m coming with you. »

They both get in. The road is starting to get busy. By the time they get there and back, school will officially have begun, which means they’ll be late for their first class. Somehow, though, that seems pretty irrelevant considering that someone pulled out a gun on her friends after vandalizing their homes, the only place where they’re not discriminated. 

They reach Riverdale High just around the same time as the students, which means the parking lot is full of teenagers enjoying a bit of sunlight before being locked in all day. Thankfully, though, she still spots Archie fairly quickly. He’s sitting on the steps of the school, chatting up with who she assumes is another jock with black hair and amazing bone structure.

« Andrews! »

He turns around, first surprised to see her there and then worried at the fiery expression on her face.

« Emma? What are you doing here? »

« Reminding you of how stupid you really are. What the fuck were you thinking trashing the Southside with your dumbass Red Circle propaganda? In what world do you think that a dangerous murderer will be scared by a bunch of muscly assholes playing superheroes? »

« Easy there with your claws, kitten », warns the guy who’s jacket says Mantle.

He’s looking at her appreciatively, gaze mostly lingering on her breasts which are unfortunately pretty visible under the low neckline of her shirt. Thankfully, Archie steps in before he can continue on flirting with her.

« Who the hell told you that, your little Serpents friends? »

« Yeah, actually. What in the world were you even doing with a gun, Archie? And how could you threaten someone with it? Do you even realize how dangerous that is? »

« They’re lucky I didn’t shoot. Your little gangster wannabes had knives. »

« You were on THEIR territory tagging their stuff, not only vandalizing it but also basically telling them upfront that you think a Southsider is behind the Black Hood attacks. I’m warning you, Archie. Stay the fuck away from the Southside. »

« Or else what, Emma? Don’t fool yourself. You’re only their slut, you have no real power over the gang. »

I beg your misogynistic pardon? »

Archiekins? What’s going on? »

She turns around to see a stunning girl with perfect eyebrows and pristine designer clothes looking at them, arms crossed. Ignoring her, Emma continues on with her speech.

« You might think I have no power over you, but you’re wrong. If you even think about bothering my friends again, I will ruin your life. »

« Excuse me? Who the hell are you? », asks the pretty latino girl.

« Stay out of this, Cruella de Vil », she snaps back.

Then she winces before turning back towards her, shooting her an apologetic look. The dark haired girl looks stunned. Apparently, people don’t stand up to her too often. 

« I’m sorry. I’m just really mad. You’ve got great shoes. »

Apparently, her apologies doesn’t help with the confusion everyone around them seem to be feeling. Still, she hasn’t come here to make friends. Which is why she returns her focus to Archie.

« Remember what I said, Andrews. And don’t forget that I know your dad well. I’m sure he’d be pretty interested in knowing that his teenage son has a gun. »

And then she leaves with Toni laughing her ass off right beside her.

 

It’s nine thirty and Sweet Pea is ready to kill someone. The day keeps on getting worse. First, there’s this whole thing where he appeared weak in front of his boys when he ran away from the douchebag holding a gun. Then, there’s the fact that they’ll obviously have to retaliate and frankly he’s mad that he has to wait all day before he can break the ginger’s nose. And finally, class has already begun and he still hasn’t seen Emma. She probably could’ve calmed him down a little or at the very least distracted him, but of course she chooses today of all days to skip. And why the hell is he so freaking worried about her? Just to add salt to the wound, when he asked Jughead where she was he casually shrugged and said that he didn’t know, that she’d taken the truck before he woke up and hadn’t answered his texts. For god’s sake, the guy lived with her, didn’t he have a certain responsibility in making sure that she was safe? Still, he held his tongue, not wanting to excite Fangs who was standing beside him grinning knowingly. Yesterday, Sweet Pea had told everyone that Emma « just has a nice ass, but that’s it » and that he « just thinks it’d be funny to piss off Jones by hooking up with her ». By the amused glances shared between the rest of the gang, he apparently didn’t manage to convince anyone. 

Now his control which, let’s face it, isn’t great to start with, is pretty much slipping between his fingers as he prepares to slam the head of the guy behind him on his desk. He keeps drumming with his pencils even though Sweets has already shot him a few meaningful glares. One more freaking rendition of the beat from We Will Rock You and he’ll be in a coma. Just then, his cell pings with a text from Toni who, when he thinks about it, he hasn’t seen today either.

**You need to see this**

Then comes another text, this time a video. At the beginning, he’s confused since it just show’s feet quickly walking on the pavement. The, as the camera takes on a wider shot, he realizes that it’s in Riverdale High, which just makes him more puzzled. That is until he sees his little spitfire power walking towards a red head who hasn’t seen her yet.

« Andrews! »

And he just melts right at his desk.


	8. Confrontation

It’s a strange mix, the emotions coursing through him. First, there’s surprise. Surprise that a girl as wonderful and as sweet of her, as obviously non-confrontational as her, actually took time out of her day to defend him. Outside of the Serpents, no one has ever cared enough to do so. He doesn’t know what the hell he did to deserve such loyalty out of her, but he sure as fuck will do anything in his power to keep it. Then, there’s this warm, fuzzy fondness that keeps growing and growing to the point where his throat almost tickles with repressed tears. He doesn’t really know how or when, but somewhere along the way she became a central point of his life, someone so important he can’t really picture what he was doing with himself before he met her. Thinking of her, it fills him with warmth and happiness but also with an odd pain, as if someone is holding his hearth and squeezing the life out of it. But those are not the only emotions that he’s feeling right now. There’s also protectiveness. He now knows that if someone ever dares looked at her the wrong way, he’ll rip their throat out. Won’t even hesitate. She’s just too good, too pure to be messed with. So the fact that this Andrew guy called her a slut… well let’s just say that anger is also a really big part of him right now. But finally, there’s this new thing, something he’s tried to push at the back of his mind ever since he first saw her. Possessiveness. Something in him just keeps telling him that she’s his. His Snow White. And he’s done ignoring it. By fighting for him this way, she also sealed her fate. 

Which is why, when he finally gets out of class, he’s determined to find her. He’s about to call Toni to ask where they are when he bumps into Fangs.

« Man, have you seen what Emma did this morning? Little hellcat ripped Andrews a new asshole and complimented a girl’s freaking shoes in the same sentence. Can she be any more adorable? »

He feels a silly grin take over his face.

« She is pretty darn cute, isn’t she? »

Tiny little kitten pretending to be a tiger just to defend his honor. Now that he’s seen her pissed, he just keeps picturing her dressed in leather. When they first met, he just couldn’t see her ever becoming a part of his world. With her soft smile and big heart, he thought she wouldn’t survive a day with them. And here she is, proving him wrong once again. Sure, she’ll always be nice to the core and probably the least threatening human being on the planet, but still… Maybe that’s what the Serpents need. A conscience. The thought seems more and more appealing as time goes on. Especially since his dirty mind keeps switching it up to visions of her wearing his jacket and nothing else…

« You done pretending that she ain’t important to you? »

Fangs looks pretty smug right about now, but Pea couldn’t care less. He has to admit that he has been an idiot thinking that he could hide his growing obsession from his best friends.

« Shut up, Fogarty. Have you seen her? »

« Nah, I haven’t seen her yet. But I texted Toni earlier and she told me that they weren’t planning on dropping by today. »

Shit. He runs a nervous hand through his hair, sighing. It feels like he’s coming out of his own skin with how eager he is to see her. But still, this might be a good thing. He doesn’t know how well he’d be able to control himself, especially with all of this rage burning inside of him at the thought of Archie fucking Andrews disrespecting Emma. That jock is gonna pay. 

« So, what are we gonna do about that Northsider? » 

« Well he sure as hell can’t just threaten us with a gun and get away with it, Fogarty. »

« Since he was nice enough to pay us a visit, maybe we should return the favour? »

A wide smile breaks on his face at the thought of causing a little chaos. Besides, those awful McMansions in the Northside could use a little redecorating. 

 

The day has gone by in a blur. When Toni finally managed to breathe after laughing throughout the entire ride home, both girls decided to just hang out at the Jones trailer. Toni because she doesn’t particularly care about skipping, and Emma because she hadn’t completely calmed down. Jughead had passed by in a blur, only to notice that Betty had forgotten her notebooks. He’d picked up a piece of paper that had fallen to the floor and freaked out. 

Now the two of them are just spread over the couch, watching Rupaul’s Drag Race and arguing over who the best contestant is. The guest judge happens to be a famous country singer who, although his music definitely isn’t their style, sure is a hottie. But although she’ll never admit it out loud, Emma still thinks a certain someone is even better looking. 

« You know, I filmed it. »

She barley raises her head, too focussed on the insane split one of the drags just managed to do. How can someone be that flexible? Doesn’t it hurt? She shudders just thinking about it. While all of her childhood friends were pulled into gymnastics classes, she’d chosen less risky extracurriculars, like the book club. Which is probably why her flexibility isn’t that great. Would that be a problem in the bedroom, she wonders? It’s the first time the thought has crossed her mind, and she’s got a pretty good idea of who’s responsible for it. Before Sweets, the idea of sex seemed pretty far away, just like graduation, or her wedding. Just something that would probably happen in the near future. She could picture the basics with what she knew of it, but the face of her partner had been a blur until now. She’ll never admit it to anyone but since meeting the tall Serpent, the image has become much clearer.

« Filmed what? » 

Toni turns fully towards her, grinning bashfully.

« Your little crusade at Riverdale High. »

Emma frowns, turning fully towards her. 

« Uh… why? »

It’s not exactly her proudest moment. Actually, now thinking about it, it would be pretty bad if Jughead saw it. He’s Archie’s best friend. If he hears about this, will it cause a rift between them? She probably should’ve thought about all this before stomping over to the Northside. But still, she knows her cousin pretty well. Surely he’ll be a little mad, but nothing that can’t be fixed.

« I wanted Sweet Pea to see. »

Now she’s full on chocking on air. Her face is probably beet red. What will he think of her? Probably that she’s getting in his business and that she’s annoying. Crap, what if he takes it as an insult? A « I don’t think you can defend yourself » kind of thing?

« Wait, what? Why? Did you send it to him? »

The pink haired girl just smiles widely, nodding.   
« Yeah, I have. »

« What… what did he say? »

« He hasn’t answered me, actually. But I also sent it to Fangs who replied that you’re adorable and badass at the same time and that he’s glad to see you’ve got their backs. »

Emma groans, hiding her face in her hands. Can this day get any worse?

 

 

It’s dark outside when the Serpents finally gather outside the Northside border. Their plan is pretty simple. Fangs managed to find the read head’s address, so they’re just gonna head there and give him a lesson. All day, Sweet Pea has been full of rage, unable to concentrate on anything else than the thought of destroying pretty boy’s face. Especially since he’s realized that the news of yesterday’s confrontation has somehow reached the Ghoulies’ ears. They’ve been taunting him all day with snide remarks and gun gestures. This can’t go unpunished. People need to know that there are consequences to attacking his gang. And so what if one of his motives also happens to be the fact that the same guy who came on his turf called Emma a slut? It’s just gonna motivate him even more.

They leave at the same time on their motorcycles. The sky is darker than it probably should be at this hour. This has to do with the fact that dark clouds already hang low in the sky, announcing a pretty intense storm. At the moment, Sweet Pea doesn’t exactly care. A freaking tornado probably wouldn’t stop him.

As they reach the steps, he sees a girl peaking through the window before a familiar mop of red hair shows up at the door. Good. At least he knows for sure that Andrews is home. He takes his place at the front of the guys, puffing his chest to appear taller.

« How stupid are you Northsiders? You really think you can come to my house, stick a gun in my face, in front of my boys, call my girl a slut, and there wouldn’t be any payback? »

Stupid Fangs has the audacity to smile brightly when he hears Sweets call Emma his girl. That earns him a strange glance for Archie, whose attention quickly turns towards the guy who just opened the door wider. Sweet Pea recognizes him instantly. It’s the other guy who was with Andrews on the video Toni sent him. If he remembers correctly, he called Em a kitten. He certainly wouldn’t mind also teaching him a lesson. 

« You have crap timing bro. Bulldogs eat Serpents for lunch. »

The phrase is so cliche he wants to laugh out loud. But he’s still too pissed off for that. 

« We’ll see about that. And the more the merrier. » 

He was finally gonna kick some asses.

 

 

Toni ended up staying for dinner. Together, they cooked fajitas and rented stupid comedies from the nineties and the early two thousands, laughing and talking over the actors. They’re now on their third movie of the night, Euro Trip, when Toni’s cellphone rings.

« Hello? … No, I’m not in my trailer, why?… Jug’s, with Emma… yeah, she’s with me… wait, what?… shit, hold on a sec. » 

The pink haired girl turns towards Emma, who’s already listening. 

« Do you mind if Fangs and Sweet Pea come over? They just got into a fight. »

She says it so casually, as if it’s a daily occurrence. And for all she knows, maybe it is. She should probably get used to this kind of drama. There seems to be a lot of fighting on the Southside, or maybe even Riverdale in general.

« Yeah, sure. »

Jughead isn’t home. Apparently, after he found a note Betty left at his trailer, he headed over there to confront her about something and ended up texting her that he was gonna be out late. She looks down at her outfit, thankful that she didn’t change into her pajamas yet, as she was planning to do just minutes before. Before she has time to worry about the state of her hair, there’s a knock on the door. 

« Come in! », she calls.

Two completely drenched Serpents make their way in. She bites her thumb nervously when she realizes that there also seems to be a bit of blood on their clothes. Fangs instantly makes his way towards the couch, sighing as he sits down, while Sweet Pea stays right where he is at the entrance, staring straight at her.

« Hi… », she whispers.

« Hi », he answers right back.

« Are you okay? »

He frowns, as if just now remembering why she’s asking this question. He reached a hand towards his eye and winces.

« Yeah, I’m fine. Nothing that won’t heal. »

« You should probably ice that », she says, pointing at his injury.

Without waiting for an answer, she heads towards the kitchen, glad to see that they’ve got actual ice and not just frozen peas, although that would’ve been pretty funny. She puts it all in a ziplock bag and grabs a clean rag in case the cold is too harsh for his skin. Not that he would complain, but still. She doesn’t want him to feel more uncomfortable than he needs to. She finds him sitting alone, the only spot left right besides him. She heads there, trying to calm her nerves, and gently puts her makeshift ice pack on his eye. He winces a little, grabbing her wrist gently.

« Sorry. »

« It’s all good. Thanks, Emma. »

She smiles at him softly, which he returns. She’s not surprised to realize that Fangs and Toni are watching them with big grins on their faces, but she tries to ignore it as best as she can, concentrating on the task of holding the ice on Sweet Pea’s eye, whose gaze hasn’t left her face. She should probably feel self conscious, but it’s actually kind of nice.

« So, what happened? », asks Toni.

Fangs launches into a long explanation of their night and how they went to Archie Andrews house to beat him up but found that he wasn’t alone and the rest of the football team was here with them. Apparently, they started to fight in the streets and the Serpents were winning until Archie’s girlfriend, probably the pretty Latina who Emma met, fired a gun in the air. She gasps at that part of the story. 

« Wait, what? Are you ok? »

« We’re fine. Just pisses me off that his girl stopped the fight before I could do any real damage. That douchebag deserved way worse than what he got », growled Sweet Pea, obviously getting riled up again.

They all watch him warily as he nervously shakes his leg, fists clenched, jaw tight.

« I should head back there and finish what I started. »

Fangs desperately tries to distract him, even asking Toni what they were watching before they came in there and asking to continue the movie. But even the hilariousness of the pope’s hat catching on fire doesn’t seem to calm Pea. The rest of the night consists of comedies and discussions on why it wouldn’t be smart to go back on the Northside tonight, especially since that tiny kid with the glasses literally stabbed himself and the police could be after them since he's clearly gonna blame the Serpents. After an hour, she stops holding the ice that isn’t even cold anymore, guessing that it’s the best she can do for tonight. As time goes on and Sweet Pea stays just as enraged, Emma grows more and more tired. She got up pretty quickly with Toni calling her about the Red Circle incident, and it’s been an eventful day. She tries to keep her eyes open and listen to everyone as they continue to fight with the tall guy sitting beside her, but it’s getting more difficult to stay awake. In the end, she looses her battle, falling asleep… clutching Pea’s arm tightly, her head on his shoulder.   
« You really can’t go back out there, Sweet Pea. »

« Shhh! Don’t talk so loud, asshole », he whispers.

They turn, surprised to see him almost holding his breath, gazing softly at the young girl sleeping beside him. Somehow, she ended up almost curled up against him, looking so peaceful he doesn’t even remember what he was angry about in the first place. All he knows is that if someone dares waking her up, he’ll probably murder them. 

His friends seem to get the message, exchanging amused glances. After a minute, Pea sighs.

« You’re right. It’s not a good time to go back to the Northside. »

And just like that, he finds reason.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm finally back. I've been trying to write this chapter for so long, but somehow it's been difficult as I didn't feel as connected to Riverdale as I used to. Thankfully, Sweet Pea came back on this episode with some fun scenes where I really felt excited to write about him again. Thank you so much for all of your nice comments, they convinced me to come back to Snow White and the Serpent. As some of you may know, I'm in university and trying to maintain a good GPA... so yeah, life is hectic. Once again, thanks for your support, without all the kudos and the comments, I would've given up on this. I hope you enjoy! I've got a lot planned for Emma and Sweet Pea.


	9. A gift

Sweet Pea knows what touch feels like. In fact, some could say he’s an expert. But right now, he feels like a blushing virgin. Although he’s had his fair share of hook-ups, it seems that every single contact has been about taking something from him, about gaining something from the exchange. At the time, he sure as heck didn’t mind. But he realizes that a lot of the regular couple stuff has passed right over his head. Even kissing seems kind of foreign, just something that has to be done quickly before passing over to the serious stuff. He’s never felt the urge to grab someone’s face and smash his lips on theirs… at least not before Em. Apparently, she’s changed a lot of things about him. Right now though, his thoughts aren’t sexual. Well, at least not all of them. Sure, he’s kind of fighting a hard on, but how could he do otherwise when she’s so close, smelling so fucking good and rubbing her face against his arm like a little sex kitten? Still. This feels different. Pure. She’s curling up against him because somehow, someway, she trusts him. How crazy is that? If he’s being completely honest, it’s probably the first time he’s actually slept with a girl. Usually, they do the deed and can’t get away fast enough. In fact, he’s the one urging them to leave. No cuddling. He just doesn’t do that shit. And yet here he is, at two in the morning, still staring completely starstruck at the gorgeous girl who is clutching his arm tightly, whose head is currently resting on his shoulder. Fangs and Toni have been asleep for a while, too. But he just can’t close his eyes. He’s still too surprised. How the hell did he manage to make this girl like him? How is she actually real? She’s just in jeans and a t-shirt and still she looks hotter than all the nude models Fangs and him used to love. She’s just got something about her that makes any warm blooded male want to protect her, to be her savior… and to fuck her, too. Oddly enough, she’s both adorable and sexy as heck. He has to admit that she’s been the star of all his fantasies since he first met her. Oh all the things he could do to her… Fuck. He needs to think about something else and fast or else his thoughts are gonna become pretty obvious. Should he count sheeps? Nah, that’s to fall asleep. But he should probably sleep, too. So yeah, maybe that would work… He stops overthinking, just concentrating on her soft breathing. In the end, he finally manages to close his eyes. 

 

She wakes up confused. Her neck is sore and she’s way warmer than she usually is sleeping in the poorly heated trailer. It’s only when she finally opens her eyes that she starts understanding what is going on. She doesn’t remember going to bed because she never did. Apparently, while Toni and Fangs were desperately trying to convince Sweet Pea not to head back right then and there to the Northside to kill Archie Andrews, she’d basically just fallen asleep. Which is already pretty embarrassing in itself… but considering her odd position, she’d also slept directly on Pea. He’s still sitting, with his head on the head-rest behind him, a hand on her thigh, same hand attached to the arm that she’s currently clutching. Darn, does he have to smell so good? No wonder she dreamt about him all night! He was literally right here… and oh god, she probably looks like a dead raccoon.

That’s enough motivation to convince her to let go of her tight grip on him. She doesn’t want to wake him up, especially since not taking off her makeup last night surely didn’t help her looks. Which is why she is super careful when finally getting off the couch. She jumps almost three foot in the air when he groans, mumbling something in his sleep. The arm that she was cuddled up against seems to be moving towards the now empty space beside him, almost searching. Aw… he’s such a big softy when he’s sleeping. Sure, he still looks like he could take on the Hulk, but still. It’s cute. 

She heads towards the bathroom, relieved to see that the damage isn’t as bad as she would’ve imagined it. Sure, there's some mascara on her cheeks and her hair, which is still in a ponytail, doesn’t look red carpet ready. But it’s nothing that a hair brush and some make up remover can’t fix. But first, she should probably shower. Taking off her clothes feels pretty weird knowing that the hottest guy she’s ever seen is sleeping right outside the door. But why is he the only one bothering her? Fangs and Toni are still here too. And they’re pretty freaking gorgeous. 

She takes a quick shower, mindful not to wet her hair which she washed yesterday. It’s only when she comes out that she realizes just how stupid she's been… she actually forgot to bring clean clothes to changed into. Guess she’ll just have to head to her bedroom super fast in just a towel. Making sure that the makeshift dress is as tight as possible, she slowly opens the door, careful not to make it creak too loud. The bathroom door unfortunately is almost right in front of the living room where three Serpents are currently sleeping… which is how she realizes quickly that there are now only two. Where the heck is Sweet Pea? Still, she almost runs to her room, closing the door behind her quickly. 

There he is. In her room. He had his back turned to her when she went in, observing the very few pictures that she hung on her walls of her and her friends. But now, his smoldering eyes are on her. The room is small, too small for the electricity that crackles between them. Slowly, as if he has all the rights to do so, he runs his eyes over her figure, licking his lips. His breathing seems deeper, ragged. In fact, he looks like an animal in a cage. Even his eyes seem darker. It’s like someone flipped a switch on him. Slowly, he walks towards her, making her stupidly back up into the door. Gosh, this is such a cliché. But she doesn’t have the time to think about all the movies where she’s seen this scene, because now he’s right in front of her. She cranes her neck to keep eye contact with him, heart beating so fast she’s pretty sure he can hear it. He’s so tall. Why is he so tall? She feels like prey. One of his arm stretches over her head, palm flat on the door, while his other hand slowly reaches her hair. 

« Now, that’s a sight I’d like to see every morning », he growls. 

Ok, so she still feels like prey, but one that kinda wants to be trapped. She bites her lip, feelings her cheeks heating up.

« Good morning, Pea. », she whispers.

He grins, a sexy grin full of sinful promises. With a single finger, he traces her jaw, her neck, the curve of her breast, as if her body is his to do whatever he wishes to do. In a way, it is. It’s not like she’s resisting him. In fact, she wants… more.

« Morning, Snow White. »

He dips his head lower, towards her neck, inhaling her scent. It’s almost primal. If he wasn’t there right in front of her, she’d probably be on the ground. She’s surprised her knees are still supporting her. She wants to reach up and taste his lips, to bite them hard until she draws blood. The regular shy Emma, though, also wants to hide in a corner and be relieved of all this tension.

« Fuck, I wish I could just… »

He doesn’t finish his sentence, eyes snapping to the door when he starts to hear voices in the living room. Apparently, Toni and Fangs are awake. She still looks at him with big, wide eyes, chest rising and falling so quickly it’s hard for him to draw his eyes elsewhere. Sighing, he lets the arm trapping her go, reaching towards his pinkie to take off a chunky silver ring in the shape of a snake. Then, he takes her own trembling hand, putting the ring on her middle finger.   
« Don’t take this off, Angel. Ok? »

She nods, still speechless. With one last move towards her, he groans, clenching his fists. It’s not time for this kind of demonstration yet. Which is why he carefully takes her by her shoulder and away from the door, opening it with one last burning look towards her before leaving the room, shutting it behind him.

For a few minutes she just stands there, weak knees, staring at the ring he put on her finger. The eye of the serpent on her jewelry glares back at her, unblinking.

 

It takes her a little while to regain her bearings, shaking continuously while putting on her clothes. She decides to wear pale jeans with rips at the knees and a cropped black sweater, judging that the Southside probably still isn’t ready for plaid skirts or bright colors. This time, she lets her hair loose. All the while, she keeps the ring, with no plans of removing it. She’s surprised that she doesn’t mess up her makeup with how unsteady her hands still are, tracing her jaw to remember his touch. It’s crazy how she wants to just go back to the living room, grab him by the collar and drag him back to her bedroom. She feels like they’re a volcano that’s about to erupt, an immovable force that nobody could stop. Sooner or later, they’ll explode. 

She finally gets out of the room, cheeks still pink, to find her three friends sprawled on the couches. 

« Hey guys, does anyone want eggs? »

They all raise their heads and smile brightly at her. Obviously, they’re not used to people cooking for them because they keep looking at her like she’s their savior while she heats up a pan and prepares breakfast. It’s adorable, really, and convinces her to do this more often. Maybe she could invite them for dinner a couple of times, if Jug is okay with it. She found out this morning that he texted her in the middle of the night saying that he was gonna stay at Betty’s. Apparently, they found out information about the Black Hood. She’s interested to hear it, but also still weary of anything serial killer related. The Southside is terrifying enough without adding a masked murdered to the equation.

She toasts some bread and gets jam and peanut butter out. 

« Ok, so it’s not too fancy, but bon appétit! »

She sits at the small table with them, joking about how they all feel pretty sore from their uncomfortable sleeping positions. Fangs try to laugh about Pea’s black eye, but it’s apparently still a sore subject, so they move on quickly. 

« Hey, Em, could you pass me the salt? », asks Toni.

« Sure, there you go. »

It’s then that Fangs started choking on a piece of toast, staring at her hand with wide eyes. 

« What? », she asks, frowning.

He seems about to answer when Pea kicks him, hard. It’s not subtle either, but from the murderous expression on his face no one chooses to question him. Emma looks down at her own fingers. What could’ve surprised him so much? The only thing special on there is the snake ring that Sweet Pea gave her earlier. Maybe Fangs was surprised that she’d wear such masculine, chunky jewelry? 

She’s quickly distracted by Toni telling a hilarious story about Fangs and the much older girl he’d been into when he was twelve. Before she can remember about her questions, the two boys decide to head home to shower and get changed, while Toni, who has brought her stuff with her, just borrows her shower. 

She decides to wait for her on the couch, surfing through the channels while also texting her friend Ophelia an update of how Riverdale is treating her so far. She misses her, sure, but it’s odd just how quickly she found companionship in Toni, who’s so different from her best friend back home. She’s lucky, in a way, to fit in so well in a place where nobody would’ve pictured her. 

Toni comes back with adorable space buns and a plaid shirt, obviously looking absolutely stunning. She comes to sit down beside her.

« So Pea gave you this ring, uh? »

She blushes bright red, picturing the scene from earlier this morning. He did way more than giving her a ring, she thinks. But she’s not about to tell anyone that she was trapped in her bedroom with a giant Serpent while only wearing a towel. Somehow, she’s possessive of this moment, of Sweet Pea himself if she’s honest. If a girl tried to flirt with him in front of her, she doesn’t know what she’d do with herself.

Well yeah, he put it on my hand and ordered me not to take it off. »

Toni turns completely towards her, looking rather serious.

« Do you know what this means, Em? »

« What, you mean the ring? I don’t think it means anything… »

« It’s a Serpent tradition. You give this when you stake a claim on someone. It’s pretty fuck serious, too. Means no other Serpent can touch you, and that you’re under our protection. A Ghoulie who’d try to attack you while you’re wearing this would basically sign his death warrant. »

Holy shit.

« Wait, what? »

« Almost nobody gives their ring away, especially at our age. Actually Pea always said that he’d never give his to anyone. Emma, you have to understand. This means that you’re his. He’s basically tattooing his name right on your forehead. It’s pretty archaic, I know, but it’s one of the most sacred traditions our gang has. »

Ok, so that’s not how she thought her morning would go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so happy to see that you still like my story! Thank you for all of your comments, you have no idea how happy I get when I see that someone commented xx


	10. Hands

So there are two logical ways to react to this. The feminist in her is kind of put off by the possession factor, the fact that this ring could in a way be perceived as a proof that she’s just an object. So yeah, she can take the ring off and throw it in his face. That’d be pretty cool. She’s all for female power, and she doesn’t need a man to stake a claim on her ass. In fact, had it been anyone else, she wouldn’t even hesitate to do exactly that. So why does it feel so different with Pea? Probably because she knows that this isn’t how he perceives her. She isn’t exactly an expert on his thoughts, especially since she’s only known him for a few days, but it’s still enough to see that he takes her seriously. The only time he said something insulting to her, not only did he apologize but he also deeply insisted on the fact that he respects women. From his interactions with her, Toni and the rest of the female Serpents, it seems that he treats the opposite sex as his equal. In fact, he once called out Tiny Legs for making a degrading comment about a girl walking by. So yeah, sure he’s no Simone de Beauvoir, especially since she has heard about all of his previous conquests. But he’s still respectful enough that he probably doesn’t see the ring as just a symbol of ownership. Or at least, not the disgusting kind. She hates herself for saying this, but there’s kind of a nice ring to the idea of being his. Of being associated with him. Especially since, in her head, it instantly means that he’s hers. So here comes solution number two. She can accept the ring and wear it proudly. Which is exactly what she decides to do. 

In fact, it feels pretty freaking empowering to wear this on her finger. It makes her want to power walk in the halls, knowing that somehow the most gorgeous guy in school, in town, probably in the country, has chosen her.

She decides to ride with Toni in FP’s truck, since Jughead will be heading straight to school from the Northisde. On the way, she talks a bit more with the pink haired girl about what she thinks of this claim.

« Now, you haven’t said a word about the ring since I explained what it meant. I’m dying to know what you think! »

« Okay, so between us girls… shit, it’s kinda hot. »

Toni bursts out laughing, smiling brightly. The first time she saw Emma, when she and Sweet Pea first met on the sidewalk, she could’ve never pictured them fitting well together. But now? It seems more and more logical everyday, obvious, even. They complete each other well, as odd as it may seem. 

« Emma Jones, you never cease to surprise me. »

 

 

« Dude, don’t think you’re gonna be able to get out of this one! What. The. Fuck. You gave your ring to Emma? »

Right now Fangs looks like a happy dog, almost jumping in place with a stupid I-Told-You-So kind of grin on his face.

« Got a problem with that? », growls Sweet Pea.

Obviously he knows his friends doesn’t mind, not at all. In fact, since the very first time Emma and Pea met, he’s probably been their biggest supporter. Probably even more since he knows that she can somewhat calm him down, maybe avoiding him a few bruises in the future. Still, he doesn’t want to talk about his reasons for giving the ring, especially since he’s not too sure he understands them himself. The last few days have been a whirlwind of emotions. While he’s mostly used to feeling anger, he now has to deal with a wide range of feelings that he’s never known before, like jealousy. He’s got a whole lot of that. Which is probably one of the biggest motivations when it came to giving the little Jones his sign. But let’s face it, it’s way more than that.

« A problem? Hell no! I’m just pretty fucking surprised to see you giving basically the biggest Serpent commitment to the girl you said you didn’t care about like two days ago. »

« No one believed me anyway », he muttered.

Fangs barked a laugh.

« Ah! That’s for sure. Pretty hard to think you don’t care about her when you become a big cuddly bear the second she’s around. »

Ok, this was starting to become seriously humiliating. Sweet Pea was. not. a cuddly bear. Like, not at all. A terrifying grizzly, sure. And maybe he didn’t mind when she cuddled with him, but if Fangs knew even half the thoughts crossing his mind every time she’s around, he wouldn’t find it adorable. He’d probably be traumatized.

He sighed, running a nervous hand over his face.

« It’s fucked up, Fangs. I just feel like she’s mine, you know? Felt it the second I saw her. »

It’s like every cell of his body recognizes her, wants her near. And the worst part is that it doesn't even scare him. It feels normal, natural. He wouldn’t even be questioning it at all if not for the way everyone around them seems to think it’s super weird to see him acting this way.

« You’re soulmates! », his friend says with an amused grin on his face.

Pea grabs a pillow and throws it at his face.

« Shut up. »

And that’s what closes the conversation for now. He knows that this doesn’t mean that Fangs is letting it go. In fact, the entire gang will probably be aware of who now owns his ring before the end of the day. Still, they don’t have time to argue anymore because they’ll be late for school. Not that that would’ve bothered him before, but now he has to admit that he kinda likes getting there early enough to see Emma a bit before class begins. Another thing he won’t ever admit.

Catching his reflection in the mirror, he gets angry all over again. Damn, his eye looks fucking bad this morning. He hopes that Andrews looks ten times worse, or else he’ll just have to finish the job. The tries to take deep breaths, but it’s too late. The anger is back, full force.

« We have a problem. »

He turns around, frowning. Fangs is holding a newspaper, which is odd since he isn’t exactly the kind of person to read his morning news while drinking a coffee. 

« What? »

That’s when he realizes what’s written. 

« WHAT THE FUCK? »

Apparently, some bitch called Alice Cooper decided to write an entire article talking about how the Southside Serpents viciously attacked Dilton Doiley and stabbed him.

« Little shit stabbed himself in the leg, Tiny Legs said he saw him do it! », growls Fangs.

But Pea barely hears him. Blood is rushing through his ears and all he sees is red. Revenge. They need revenge.

 

 

It’s not too cold outside, which is why she’s sitting at a picnic table with Toni and Blade, laughing at something Blade is saying. He’s a pretty swell guy, obviously not someone she would’ve met without being Jughead’s cousin and hanging out with the Serpents, but still. He’s joking with her, talking about how he got his nickname. The story is so stupid she has trouble believing him. She’s still wiping tears from her eyes when a harsh bang on the table makes her jump up. 

Fangs, Sweet Pea, and a few other gang members have just arrived, looking over a big sheet of paper that Pea spreads on the table. She frowns, realizing that he’s looking pretty freaking angry right about now. His black eye probably doesn’t help with the threatening look. It’s odd, since she remembers clearly that he left her trailer with a satisfied smile, probably still gloating about making her react to him so intensely. Maybe he just got mad all over again once he left? Whatever the reason is, she’s worried. She’s kinda detecting a pattern of rash, bad decisions when he lets the anger take over him. 

« Hey, you okay? », she asks, frowning.

He nods slowly and in an unconvincing way. She turns towards his friends, searching for answers. 

« Northsiders published an article about how we stabbed a kid last night. Idiot did it himself, but of course no one’s gonna believe us », explains Fangs.

« What the heck? How can they d.. » 

She’s interrupted by Jughead slamming the doors open. Pea instantly straightens up, glaring at him. Crap. She’s not really into the idea of picking sides between the both of them. While she loves her cousin to death and is grateful for everything that he does for her, she has to admit that it’d be difficult to let her new giant friend down. Fangs doesn’t seem to notice Jug yet, turning back to his gang to talk about the plans. She’s still trying to figure out what’s up with the drawings when Sweets speaks up.

« Nice article your girlfriend’s mom wrote. »

Shit. Did it have to be Alice Cooper? Of course, she isn’t exactly surprised given what she’s heard of the woman, but still. This is only gonna make things worse, especially since she knows Jughead would defend Betty above all else. 

« Yeah, I saw that. Dilton Doiley said he was stabbed and a bunch of you guys jumped him? »

It’s her time to get a bit angry. He’s supposed to have known these guys longer than her. So why does he immediately jump to conclusions? 

« You can’t believe everything you read, Jug », she berates him.

She sees Toni smile at her, almost surprised. She probably expected her to stay silent. Which isn’t so surprising since Emma herself didn’t think she had it in her to stand up to her cousin. Still, she does it tenderly. She loves him, even if he’s a bit judgmental sometimes. 

« The idiot stabbed himself. With his own knife. », Fangs add. 

« And we didn’t jump him. There was a fight. Bulldogs versus Serpents. And you see this? Your boy Andrews gave it to me just before his girlfriend shot a gun into the air. »

Sweet Pea is pointing at his black eye. She hopes the ice she put on his face yesterday at least helped a bit with the swelling, but her chest still clenches painfully. She doesn’t like to see him get hurt. Even though the bruise doesn’t make him any less attractive… but now isn’t the time to think about that.

« What happened? », asks her cousin. 

« And of course Northsiders get off scot-free and the rest of us are hauled in by the police »

Wait, what? The police got involved? She doesn’t remember Fangs and Sweet Pea saying anything about this when they came to her trailer last night. Thankfully it seems that they were able to avoid going to jail. 

« It’s payback time », says Fangs.

« What are you guys talking about? What is… what is that? Is that a pipe bomb? »

What the heck? Sure, she knows they’re in a gang but… a bomb? That’s probably the stupidest thing she’s heard all day. Don’t they realize the consequences? 

« Fogarty’s cousin served in the army. He’s gonna build us something. », explains Sweet Pea.

« We’ll do it after hours, it’ll shut the Riverdale Register down once and for all. »

« You think blowing up a building is gonna make things better? »

Thankfully, Jughead seems to agree with her on the whole this-is-an-horrible-idea thing.   
« Can’t get any worse. »

Gosh, she wants to smack the adorable idiot.

« Yeah, Sweet Pea, it can. Let me talk to Archie, let me figure this out. Okay? »

« Man, that’s your answer for everything. Talk and more talk. We don’t even know who you stand with. Us or them? You can’t be half a Serpent. »

He gets up and leave, shooting her one last glance over his shoulder before disappearing from her view. She gets the message : he wants to see which side she’s on too. She quickly gathers all of her stuff before turning towards her cousin and squeezing his hand. 

« I’ll try to reason him, Jug. »

Then, she hurries in the direction they left. She sees him in the hall, walking way too quickly for her tiny legs. 

« Pea, wait up! », she calls.

He turns around, a soft grin on his face. Apparently, he’s happy to see that she chose to follow him instead of staying with Jughead. When she finally reaches him, she cranes her neck to look into his eyes. 

« A bomb, really? », she frowns.

This time, he looks bashful, raising a hand to his neck and looking at the floor.

« Ok, so maybe it wasn’t my best idea. »

She sighs. Running on instinct, she laces her fingers with his. 

« I just don’t want you guys to get in more trouble. »

He stares at their hands as if they’re a foreign object, a look of confusion on his face. 

« What.. what are you doing? »

Instantly, her cheeks get really red. Oh crap, did she read this all wrong? Maybe he doesn’t want her to touch him at all…

« Uh… just holding your hand, I can stop if y… »

« No! No. I like it. You can keep on doing that. »

It’s then that she realizes that he maybe doesn’t know this sort of affectionate touch. Sure, she’s heard that he’s had conquests in the past, but from what Toni told her, it was always about sex and nothing else. Maybe he’s not too familiar with things like cuddling and holding hands. This somehow makes her proud. Good. She likes the idea of being special in some way.

He keeps on looking at their entwined fingers while they walk, a soft smile on his face. His thumb keep tracing the ring on her middle finger. For a moment, she thinks that he’s finally gonna admit to her the signification that the jewelry hold, but he stays quiet. She should probably say something herself, but she’s not ready yet. The moment just isn’t… right. So for now she just savors the warmth of his palm and the way his much bigger hand basically engulfs hers in a way that just fits perfectly.

 

The rest of the day is rather uneventful. They don’t talk about pipe bombs anymore, and she hopes that means that they decided to drop it. Jughead doesn’t speak much, looking lost in his thoughts. So yeah, all in all it shouldn’t be a memorable day. Yet she knows she’ll remember it for a long time. Because today, each time Sweet Pea is besides her, he softly bumps his hand into hers until she gets the message and grasps it.

 

She spends the night catching up on the very few homework she’s been given. It’s crazy how little the teachers seem to care about their students’ education. It’s really the worst school. She’d be really worried about graduating in this kind of hellhole, but the fact that there always seem to be something going on with her cousin and her friends doesn’t give her much time for these kind of thoughts. Jughead eats dinner with her, but leaves quickly, mumbling about something to do. She’d worry, but she's used to this kind of behavior. It’s not like the moodiness is a new thing.

But when he comes back home, wearing a Serpent jacket, she has to admit that she’s pretty surprised. Especially when he tells her that he’ll be joining them after going through initiation.

« Jug, I’m worried. Initiation is probably much harder than drinking a few beers. »

« I’m sure I’ll survive, Em. Besides, I have to do this. Since dad’s in jail, there isn’t anyone there to keep the piece between the Southside and the Northside. I need to step up to stop idiots like Sweet Pea from blowing up everyone who pisses them off. »

She sighs.

« If you’re sure… Ok. I’ll support you. But please be careful. »

She kisses the top of his head before heading to bed.

 

It’s about three o’clock in the morning when she wakes up. At first, she doesn’t understand what’s going on. But then, she hears it. Whispers. As in multiple people trying to be quiet. And she’s completely terrified. What if the Ghoulies have broken in? She grabs her cellphone, about to call the police, when someone speaks but louder. And she knows that voice perfectly.

« Your initiation begins now. With you assuming guardianship of the Beast. »

Slowly, she gets up and opens her door. There are people heading towards the door of her trailer, obviously leaving. They’re all wearing masks. 

« Pea? », she whispers.

The tallest one turns around and takes off his mask, coming towards her.

« Hey. Sorry for waking you up, Angel. »

She smiles softly at him, still sleepy. 

« What are you doing here? »

« We started Jughead’s initiation. You’ll have to host Hot Dog for a few days. »

« Hot Dog? »

He reaches up, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. 

« Our dog. »

« Oh, cool. Love dogs. »  
She rubs her eyes, yawning. 

« Go back to bed, Snow White. »

Then, he notices her ring. A wide smile breaks on his face.

« You even wear it when you’re sleeping? »

« You told me not to take it off. »

« Good. »

He turns towards the door when someone calls for him, nodding. 

« I have to go. See you in the morning, Angel. »

« Bye », she whispers.

She returns to her bed, thinking about the day when she’ll be brave enough to ask him to stay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thank you for your kind comments! They're my biggest motivation! It's fun to see that there are actual human beings who read my story. I hope you're okay with the "softer" side of Sweet Pea in this chapter. I just want to show all sides of him, the goofy idiot, the angry gang member, the possessive male and the cuddly bear. See you next time! xx

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys!  
> I'm French Canadian and I've actually never published something in English before, so I'm really sorry if it's not perfect. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this! I'm super shy about my work so this is a big deal for me. Have a nice day! xx


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